Dreams
by everdreaming3
Summary: Santana and Brittany's story from meeting freshman year through their wedding and beyond. Canon throughout (unless I made some mistakes). Inspired by this deleted scene: This story is rated M for a reason. Best to check out the story since I am not so good at writing summaries.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story was inspired by this deleted scene** **post/115541903930/hall-and-totes-wedding-seating-planning-a** **as well as a dream that I had after the series finale. This is mostly canon, with some of my own interpretation for certain events on the show, but don't expect to see scenes or dialogue from the show rewritten here. There is mentions of specific events on the show to move the story along, as it covers many years of time. It has some fluff, some smut, is definitely cheesy at points, and has no real plot development since that was mostly done on the show.**

 **This is my first ever attempt at writing anything like this, fanfiction or otherwise, so feedback is greatly appreciated! I would love to know what I am doing right, what I am doing wrong, or if I should just not even bother writing anymore. I want everyone to know that this story is COMPLETE, but I will be posting a chapter every few days or so if my schedule allows. I am currently working on the companion piece from Brittany's POV, so I really would like comments/reviews/helpful criticism to know things to work on for that story.**

Part 1- Freshman Year 2008-2009

Chapter 1

Santana was nervous. It was 2 weeks before the start of her freshman year and she stood in the gym of William McKinley High School and watched as the girls around her were doing light warm-ups and stretches. Most of them were already wearing Cheerios uniforms, although there were more than a handful of girls like her in cheer shorts and tight tops. She already felt like she didn't fit in among the throng of red and white uniforms and perfect hair-dos, and she debated whether she should change her dark hair from its messy bun into a ponytail like the others were sporting.

Santana just had to make the main squad this year. It wasn't common for Coach Sue Sylvester to put freshmen on her top squad, but Santana was determined to be different. She _needed_ to be different. Starting high school meant she could break from the mediocre popularity she had gained in middle school.

Santana had this feeling deep inside of her that she needed to be accepted by her classmates. She always felt a little different, although she wasn't sure why. She didn't really feel close with the girls she hung out with in middle school. Mostly because she was afraid to let them get too close to her. She felt kind of awkward around most girls, and she didn't really feel the way other girls did when they were around boys.

Santana didn't like feeling uncomfortable, and it caused her to develop a bitchy attitude. She protected herself by building walls around herself and by throwing out insults. She found that her attitude earned her respect, which made her more popular. When she became more popular, she felt better about herself. That was why she was going to be one of the most popular girls at McKinley and no one was going to stop her. First, she just needed to nail this cheerleading try-out.

The overwhelming number of girls there was just a little intimidating. Plus, she had missed the cheerleading camp earlier in the summer for the vacation her parents insisted they had to go on for "quality family time" before Santana started becoming "too grown up" to want to hang out with them anymore. Little did they know that she had stopped wanting to hang around her parents sometime in middle school. Things were just too different in her life now, and she didn't feel comfortable around her parents much, particularly when they wanted to know what was going on in her life.

Something caught Santana's attention from the corner of her eye. She turned to see a blonde girl towards the corner of the gym doing some spins and turns, her loose hair flying around her as she danced. Santana's breath caught and her heart started to pound.

She had finally started getting used to the little fluttering in her chest that she got when she saw some pretty girls and was learning to ignore it. But she had never felt anything like this before. She definitely couldn't ignore the way her heart tried to beat its way over to the dancing girl, or the way her body warmed up as if she had stepped outside into the summer heat. She finally realized she was holding her breath and let it out in a shaky exhale.

"Nervous?"

Santana whipped around at the voice, her heart beating hard for a different reason now, as she came to face a different blonde girl. This one had her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail like the Cheerios did, but didn't wear the uniform. Santana noticed that the girl wore a small cross necklace as well as a more modest, though still tight, pair of shorts and top. She seemed to also have an amused smirk on her face.

"Excuse me?" Santana asked. She hoped that her face looked calm and that the girl hadn't noticed how affected she was by the dancer in the corner.

"I noticed you were staring at that girl. She is pretty good, so I was just wondering if she made you nervous about maybe not making the team," the girl replied.

She sounded sweet, like she was trying to be Santana's friend. Santana knew that girls like this were the ones to watch out for. They were usually the ones that acted like your best friend, but were the first to stab you in the back to climb their way to the top. She knew immediately that she needed to become allies with her, but first she needed to make sure the girl didn't think she was anything other than the image she wanted to project.

"Oh, I'm not nervous. She's pretty good, but I _know_ I am going to make the main squad. All those girls think they're hot shit because they've already got their uniforms, but that's because they don't know that I am going to be taking somebody's spot this year."

Santana couldn't bring herself to say she was better than the dancer for some reason. She just hoped she looked as confident as her words. She spent the summer trying to perfect the confident look she hoped would help her step up the social ladder. She knew it made her look like a bitch, but she kind of liked that. The girl seemed to look impressed, at least.

"I'm Quinn Fabray," the girl said with a small smile.

"Santana Lopez," she offered back. "I take it you're a freshman, too?"

"Yeah, and like you I _know_ I am going to make the main squad. We should stick together so we can make sure those other girls know we will be at the top of the pyramid soon."

Santana triumphed internally. If she could team up with a girl like Quinn, then she knew she would have an easier time becoming popular at McKinley. She gave a smile back to Quinn.

"Totally."

All of a sudden, the gym doors flew open and a tall woman wearing a red and white tracksuit with short blonde hair hurried in. She held a megaphone in one hand and a clipboard in the other. The girls in uniform snapped to attention quickly.

"Listen up ladies!" the woman yelled through the megaphone. "If anybody doesn't know who I am, you should leave immediately. But since I like to make an entrance, I will introduce myself anyway. I am National Championship Cheerleading Coach Sue Sylvester! I may or may not also be an international spy, but you didn't hear that from me."

Santana looked around. She was a little alarmed by the megaphone and the abruptness of the coach. She saw that a lot of the other girls appeared to be intimidated by the woman, except for Quinn. Quinn seemed to be just as calm as she was when she was introducing herself to Santana. Santana tried to mimic Quinn's unaffected demeanor as Sue continued yelling.

"After warm-ups, you will be divided up into two groups to learn a routine. After you complete that group routine, you will then be split into smaller groups based on your capabilities so I can get a more individual look at your skills. Once that is finished, I will make my cuts and post the rosters for the main squad and the alternate squad. And as you older girls know, just because you were on the squad last year doesn't mean that you will make it again this year. So impress me!"

Time went by quickly and Santana soon found herself with a large group of girls learning the routine the coach had created. She wasn't worried about this part. She was the top cheerleader on her middle school squad, and learning choreography quickly was her strength. She had the routine down after the first run through, and she took the opportunity to look around her to see how everyone else was doing.

She saw a number of girls slowly picking up the steps, but a few were clearly struggling. She noticed that Quinn already had it down. She found herself looking for the dancer again for some reason, but couldn't find her. Before she knew it, Sue was finished evaluating the larger group performances and split them up into groups of five to learn a whole new routine.

Santana was pleased to see that she was put in a group with 2 of the best current Cheerios that she could see from the large group routine. Quinn also happened to be in her group. She was also surprised to find herself glad that their last group member was the dancing blonde girl. She wanted to know the girl, and she didn't really know why. She found herself smiling at the dancer, who smiled back, making Santana's heart flutter again.

They didn't even have time to introduce themselves, however, before they had to launch into learning their routine. Santana was dismayed that she didn't have the chance to learn the dancer's name. She just felt like she wanted to become best friends with her, and she had never felt like this about anyone before.

All of the girls in her group picked up the steps after the first run through and were totally in sync. Coach Sue scrutinized them for a minute.

"Jones, Adler, glad to see you guys haven't decided to slack this summer," she said to the two uniformed girls. She then turned to the other three girls and studied them. "You three, front and center."

Quinn, Santana, and the dancer moved forward to stand in front of Sue. Quinn stood directly in front of the coach, with Santana and the other girl side by side, slightly behind Quinn. Santana was nervous to be pulled out of the group for closer evaluation. She glanced at the dancer girl next to her and saw that she was clearly nervous. She wanted to comfort her in some way, but didn't know how, especially with Coach Sylvester paying close attention to them at the moment.

"I haven't seen you three before. You all freshmen?" Sue asked.

"Yes, coach," Quinn quickly replied.

"Yes," Santana confirmed. The dancing girl just nodded, looking down at her feet before looking back up at the coach.

"Names?" Sue asked.

"Quinn Fabray, coach." Again, Quinn was first to reply.

 _Kiss ass_ , Santana thought.

"I'm Santana Lopez." Santana turned her head to look at the other blonde girl, waiting to hear her speak.

"Brittany Pierce," the girl nervously answered. Santana thought that the girl definitely looked like a Brittany. And she wanted to hug her to make her feel more comfortable. Brittany was moving her foot around in circles, toe on the ground, as she clasped her hands in front of her. She was definitely intimidated by Sue, who just stood there and studied them for another minute with a curious look on her face.

"Well, ladies, I have to say that for freshmen I am impressed." Sue looked directly at Quinn before speaking again. "You may go far under my tutelage."

Sue turned away and moved onto the next group, leaving the girls behind to breathe relieved sighs and grin at each other. The two current Cheerios just glared at them, but the younger girls couldn't be bothered by it.

"I knew we would do well." Quinn smiled at Santana and Brittany, pleased at receiving the attention from the coach.

The rest of the try-outs moved quickly from there, and before she knew it the rosters had been posted. She hung back a little and watched as other girls went up. Some girls left with satisfied smiles, others were jumping up and down. A few girls left disappointed, and a couple of uniformed girls left angry and crying.

As she finally made her way to the lists, she felt more nervous. All of a sudden she felt a presence beside her and turned to see Brittany. For some reason the girl's presence helped soothe her nerves somewhat. They looked at the list for the main squad first. Santana located first her own name, and below that was Brittany's. They had both made the main squad. The girls turned to each other and grinned, and Santana's excitement over making the squad paled in comparison to the feeling she got when Brittany grinned at her.

"Looks like we're the only freshmen who made the main squad." Again, Santana turned, startled, to find Quinn Fabray.

 _That girl is just too sneaky for her own good_ , she thought.

"I still can't believe I made it," Brittany gushed. "I was just hoping for the alternate squad."

"Well I knew I was going to make it, and we were all fierce out there. Those other Cheerios better watch out, because we are going to take over this squad!" Santana got a few dirty looks from some of the Cheerios, but she didn't care. She was on a high right now, and she wanted to keep riding it.

"I agree that we were fierce together. We should have a sleepover at my house this weekend so we can get to know each other better, since we are going to be spending the next four years ruling this place." Quinn got nods from Brittany and Santana before flouncing off to the locker room.

"She seems nice," Brittany said. Santana turned her attention back to the girl who had captivated her since the beginning of the try-out. She took in the girl's sparkling blue eyes and light dusting of freckles, and she got serious fluttering in her chest when Brittany smiled at her again. She pushed it out of her mind and realized she was kind of staring. She tried to put on her confident face as she formed a reply.

"She's alright, but I think she is convinced she is going to be the head bitch in charge here. She's going to have to fight me for it."

"Why'd you agree to do a sleepover if you don't like her?" Brittany's brow furrowed a little in confusion.

"Well, I didn't say I didn't like her. I just don't really trust her. I think I would be better off to keep her close to make sure she doesn't try to stab me in the back or something, you know?"

"No, not really." Brittany did look kind of confused by Santana's statement. Santana could tell that the girl had a pretty innocent outlook on life.

"Nevermind. We should all stick together though, especially since we are the only freshmen on the main squad." She was a little nervous saying this. She knew she wanted to get to know Brittany more, and she really wanted to be her friend. She hoped Brittany agreed.

"Yeah, I mean I think it would be really nice. I didn't really have a lot of friends at my old school." Santana was surprised. Brittany seemed like a really nice girl. How could anyone not like her? She wanted nothing more at that moment than to wipe the sad look off of the blonde's face.

"I think we will be best friends, Brit." Santana was rewarded with a huge grin and she couldn't help but grin back.

"Really?" Brittany had an adorably hopeful look on her face, like she almost couldn't believe Santana was even talking to her, much less offering to be her friend.

Santana nodded, and Brittany threw her arms around Santana and hugged her tight. She brought her arms up around the blonde and hugged her back lightly, feeling a little dizzy at the contact as she laughed a little at Brittany's enthusiasm.

All too soon, Brittany pulled back and said she had to go home. Santana was a little confused because she thought she said something about a cat forgetting his keys, but she must have heard wrong. Santana departed the gym feeling as if she was floating. Everything seemed to be going right and the year was just starting.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thanks to anyone to followed, favorited, or reviewed! Hopefully I don't disappoint you.**

 **Here is Chapter 2 for you all. This one takes place not long after the end of Chapter 1, but just to warn you, most of the rest of the story won't flow like that. I basically wrote a series of scenes related to major events throughout Brittany and Santana's relationship that we didn't get to see in canon, and there are significant jumps in time to help the story move along.**

 **I wasn't too thrilled with how this chapter turned out. It mostly just establishes their friendship some more, and since we have nothing in canon from their Freshman year I didn't really have much to work with that wouldn't risk me completely screwing up canon somehow. I promise that the chapters improve as it goes along, I just didn't have a lot of ideas for the beginning. Now that I have sufficiently bored you, I do hope you enjoy it! And please review so I know if I am doing okay or to give me ideas of what to work on for my current story!**

Chapter 2

The whole first week of Cheerios practice was the worst hell Santana had ever been through in her life. She had never worked so hard at anything. And Coach Sue was the meanest, most insane person she had ever met. If she didn't need the status so much that being a cheerleader could bring, she would seriously consider quitting.

Sue definitely intimidated her with the crazy pace she pushed the girls at and the insults she hurled at them like it was nothing. Despite all of that, Santana was thriving on the squad. The two uniformed girls from their small group at try-outs, Monica Jones and Cynthia Adler, had been named co-captains of the squad. Santana, Brittany, and Quinn were also definitely at the top of the squad based on their skills.

Quinn seemed to know she was in line to be Sue's favorite. She pranced around like she owned the place, and Santana wanted to smack her for it. She knew, however, that if she kept on Quinn's good side and remained friends then she would reap the benefits.

Santana was really more worried about Brittany. The blonde dancer had no issues as far as the cheering went, but seemed to crawl into herself whenever Sue yelled at them or insulted them. She didn't like to see the other girl so withdrawn and timid. She wanted to see her be as free as she was when she first saw her dancing.

Santana didn't have much time to talk to her during practice, and they hadn't had the opportunity to hang out otherwise yet. Sue worked them so hard that they barely had enough time to breathe, much less converse amongst themselves. She was looking forward to the sleepover at Quinn's house tonight so she could actually get to know Brittany better. She really hoped they could be best friends. She had never wanted to let someone close to her like she wanted to with Brittany. She really couldn't explain it, but she couldn't ignore it.

After practice was over, Santana was finishing changing in the locker room when she heard someone crying. Normally she would have let whoever it was cry in private, but something drove her to seek out where the sounds were coming from. She peeked around the bay of lockers to the next aisle over and spotted Brittany sitting on the bench, her head bowed forward and her shoulders shaking from her quiet sobs. Finding out it was Brittany crying gave her a pain in her heart, and she immediately went to comfort her.

"Brittany? What's the matter?" Santana asked quietly as she approached the blonde.

Brittany looked up at Santana, tears leaving wet tracks down her reddened cheeks. Her lip trembled as she looked away from Santana, embarrassed. She whispered, "I forgot how to open my lock."

"You forgot your combination?"

Brittany shook her head and looked down further. "No, I remember my combination. I forgot how to open the lock."

 _Oh_. Santana felt bad for the other girl, but knew it was more than just a lapse of memory that caused the tears. She got the combination from Brittany and showed her how to open the lock.

"Thanks," Brittany said quietly, finally looking at Santana's eyes again.

"No problem, Brit. But can you tell me why you forgot? I know you knew how to do it earlier. What happened to upset you so bad?" The girls sat down on the bench facing each other. Santana was concerned about the other girl, particularly with the way she had broken down like this. Brittany looked away again before turning back to her.

"I think I want to quit the Cheerios."

"What? No! You can't quit! We are the best on the squad, why would you want to give that up?" Santana was in a near panic. She didn't want to think about coming to practice without being able to see Brittany.

"I don't think Coach Sue likes me very much. And I don't like the way she makes me feel stupid." Brittany was very quiet as she said this. Santana knew that this obviously meant a lot to her, and this was the reason why she broke down. It didn't have anything to do with a lock.

"Brit, you are not stupid. You pick up her routines faster than anyone, and you make them look better than she ever could. Sue is just a bitch. Don't listen to her. I don't." Santana implored, looking sincerely into Brittany's eyes.

"Yes, you do." At this, Santana looked down, embarrassed at how Brittany could read her so easily.

"Well, yeah I guess I do. She is pretty mean, and to be honest, she kind of scares me a little bit." Santana had no idea why she was confessing this. She wanted to be strong for Brittany. She didn't want her to hurt like this. She gathered her confidence and looked back into the blonde's face. "But we can't let it affect us. The things she says she just says so she can intimidate us and hold power over us. I'll tell you what. If she starts making you feel bad again, just know that I will always have your back. We can face her together. I am going to be there for you."

Brittany searched Santana's eyes and a soft look came over her face. Her tears had stopped by now, and she smiled slightly as she wiped her cheeks. "Promise?"

Santana smiled back, her heart doing that little flutter again in her chest. She felt giddy all of a sudden, and extended her pinky of her right hand toward the other girl. "Promise."

Brittany's smile turned into a grin as she looped the pinky of her left hand around Santana's pinky and swung their linked hands slightly. Santana laughed at Brittany's antics, not bothering to correct the fact that she used the wrong hand. She kept their pinkies linked as she stood up, ready to get out of there.

"Come on, BritBrit. Let's get out of this place. We've got a sleepover to get to!"

Brittany laughed at the nickname and Santana's cheerfulness. The girls gathered their things and walked out of the gym, pinkies still linked together as they walked outside, smiling.

"What do we got here? A couple of lezzies?" A large boy taunted them from the sidewalk.

Santana's heart jumped into her throat at the words, though she wasn't sure why exactly. She was about to drop Brittany's pinky in a panic when she felt the blonde's finger tighten around hers.

"My name's Brittany, not Lizzie." Santana's head whipped over to look at the other girl's face, confused as to whether or not she actually misunderstood the boy. Brittany looked at the boy, who was clearly a football player by the size of him and the letterman's jacket, with a blank look on her face. Santana would swear she was messing with the kid, but couldn't quite tell.

"No, not Lizzie. Are you stupid or something?" At this, Santana's spine straightened and she tightened her own pinky back around Brittany's. She saw the blonde's eyes flash hurt at the football player's comments.

"Listen up, mouthbreather. When my bestie and I are married to rich men living the high life away from this shitty place, you're going to be selling used cars downtown reminiscing about the "glory days" when you actually had friends and a future to look forward to. Now why don't you go along now and pretend that you don't get a hard on every time you slap another dude on the ass, knuckledragger." Santana's heart was beating hard after that. She had never gone off on somebody quite like that before, and she didn't really enjoy the look of terror that came over the boy's face as she insulted him. He hurried off without looking behind him.

"Sorry about that," she said as she turned toward Brittany. She was surprised to see a look of admiration in the blue eyes looking back at her, when she expected to see fear or disgust.

"Don't be sorry. Thanks for having my back." Brittany smiled then, and Santana smiled back, relieved. She really believed she may have found a best friend.

* * *

"So how many boyfriends have you guys had?" This question came from Quinn. They were at Quinn's house, sitting on sleeping bags on the floor of the finished basement. The girls were eating popcorn as a movie played in the background while they talked and got to know each other.

"I've just made out with some boys, but I haven't found a boy I considered to be actual boyfriend material yet." Santana hoped her lie sounded convincing. It was true that she hadn't found any guys that she wanted to be her boyfriend yet, but she really had only made out with one guy. She hadn't been all that into it at the time, but she knew she was going to have to change that in high school in order to fit in.

"I haven't had any boyfriends or made out with anyone either." Brittany shrugged, looking unaffected by her response.

"Why not?" Santana asked. She thought Brittany was really pretty. She couldn't imagine why no one would want to kiss her. She got a little uncomfortable thinking about Brittany kissing someone.

"I wasn't really popular at my middle school. People thought I was weird, so no one really wanted to date me." Brittany looked uncomfortable as she said this. Santana wanted to give her a hug, but fought the instinct. She wouldn't do that in this situation while Quinn was around. They didn't know each other that well yet.

"Well all that will change now that we are on the Cheerios," Quinn stated. "I broke up with my boyfriend after middle school. He was my first one, but we aren't going to the same high school, so it wasn't worth it to continue when we wouldn't really see each other anymore."

Santana wasn't sure she believed Quinn about the boyfriend. But she wasn't too concerned with it. She really wanted to learn more about Brittany. So far she had learned that the blonde had a cat she was fascinated with named Lord Tubbington, that she took dance lessons on the weekends, and that she had a little sister who was eight years younger than her. Santana also learned that Brittany was prone to mix up words, she was whimsical, and she wanted to believe the best in everyone.

The more she learned about her, the more she liked her. And the more she could see how other people might think she was weird or stupid. That just meant those other people were closed-minded, and they were missing out on the wonderful person that was Brittany. Santana couldn't complain, because it meant it gave her the chance to be the blonde's best friend. She knew she was going to have to stay by her side and protect her from the idiots of the world who couldn't see how special she was.

The girls talked into the night about tons of things. Santana could tell that gaining status at McKinley was just as important to Quinn as it was to her. She knew that staying on Quinn's good side was necessary for now, especially since she could see how invested Coach Sue seemed to be getting into Quinn.

Once Quinn had fallen asleep, she and Brittany began to talk between just them. They lay face-to-face by each other in their sleeping bags, talking quietly to not wake Quinn. Santana didn't think she had felt more comfortable around anyone else before in her life. They talked about so many things and nothing it seemed like.

Santana told her that she didn't have a lot of friends before. She was scared of people thinking she didn't fit in, and that she wanted to be popular so she felt like she belonged for once. Brittany reassured her that she was sure that Santana would be popular and have tons of friends, but hoped she would always be Santana's best friend.

Brittany told her that she was nervous about starting high school. She was scared about trying to learn her way around a new school, and remembering what classes she needed to go to. She was afraid people would think she was weird and stupid and wouldn't like her.

"Hey, BritBrit, listen to me. You are not stupid. You are awesome! And if you need help around school, you know that I have got your back, remember?"

Brittany smiled sleepily at Santana. "I remember." She reached out her left hand toward Santana, pinky extended. Santana linked her right pinky to Brittany's and the girls slowly drifted into sleep without letting go.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Glad to see some more favorites, follows, and reviews. I appreciate it! Again, please give me your thoughts, since I am working on the companion piece to this story. Input could help make that one a little better.**

 **So here is Chapter 3. We start moving quickly through time in this one, especially since I didn't have a lot of ideas since we have no canon Brittana for freshman year. This chapter, however, includes the events in the wilderness that was mentioned the deleted scene from the wedding episode that partly inspired this story. In case you aren't sure what I am talking about, Brittany mentioned during their wedding seating chart argument that Sue and the Cheerios played an important part in their relationship, and the night in the wilderness was where they first fooled around (I previously provided the link to the deleted lines). So things will definitely be heating up between our girls here. Again, please review!**

Chapter 3

Freshman year seemed to fly by. Santana and Brittany grew closer as the days went by, frequently spending the night at each other's houses or doing homework together in one another's rooms after Cheerios practice. They never went a day without talking or texting one another. They learned everything they could about each other, and started showing physical affection through innocent touches and cuddling.

The first time Santana met Brittany's parents, Pierce and Whitney S. Pierce, she understood a lot more about what made the other girl the way she was. Whitney had no filter and told outrageous stories much to Santana's amusement. She was a little confused about Pierce's actual relationship to Brittany, and when she asked Brittany about him the blonde looked a little confused about why she was asking. Santana decided to drop it, lest she upset Brittany by revealing something her parents may have wanted to talk to her about at a better time.

But Pierce Pierce was an interesting person, to say the least. Santana had a difficult time figuring him out, and was grateful that Brittany's quirkiness wasn't as hindering to her as the blonde's father's, otherwise she might not understand her quite as well. Brittany's little sister was cute for a kid, although she couldn't look less like the blonde girl with her dark hair and brown eyes, and thankfully she kept out of their way most of the time. Santana wasn't the best with kids.

She also wasn't the best with cats, but she and Lord Tubbington seemed to have a silent understanding that they just wouldn't really look at each other when they were in the same room. When Brittany finally got to meet Santana's parents on a rare occasion they were both home from work, they were happy that Santana found someone she could be so close to. They welcomed the blonde openly into their lives, even if they found her a little strange.

True to Quinn's word, the girls' popularity soared due to their status on the Cheerios. Santana helped to make herself more popular by making out with lots of different boys at parties. She still didn't feel right settling down with one boy, but the more boys she made out with, the more comfortable with it she got. She still didn't understand why other girls thought it was so awesome, but it was okay.

Brittany started making out with a bunch of people, too. People learned quickly to accept Brittany despite her quirkiness, because they were likely to get a pissed off Santana in their face if they said anything bad about her. Pretty soon, Brittany's own sweet personality won the kids over on its own, and she had guys clamoring for her attention left and right.

Santana worried a little bit that people manipulated her into things once she discovered that Brittany was making out with girls as well as guys. She also found that she really didn't like the idea of Brittany making out with girls, but she didn't feel like it was something she could tell the blonde. She pushed the feelings aside and concentrated on her own romantic life instead.

When Christmas came around, Santana wanted to get Brittany something special to commemorate their friendship. She convinced her dad to give her money to buy what she wanted. When she presented Brittany with a friendship bracelet that matched one she bought for herself, the dancer hugged Santana hard in her exuberance. She wanted to keep that light in Brittany's eyes all the time. Cheerios practice still dragged them down, but they stuck by each other's sides in support.

They still hung out with Quinn, and the three girls quickly gained a reputation for their attitudes. The student body at McKinley recognized Quinn's determination to do whatever it took to be HBIC and she became both admired and feared. People learned very quickly that Santana's wrath was nothing to mess with, and she was quick to cut people down with her insults. Brittany was regarded as usually sweet, but the girl was known to give out some biting remarks when provoked. Their classmates soon dubbed them the Unholy Trinity due to their knack for spreading fear. Santana's and Brittany's sexual reputations added to the validity of the moniker, and once Brittany started sleeping with guys the nickname officially stuck.

The first guy Brittany slept with was an upperclassman on the football team sometime in January. She told Santana about it afterwards. Santana pushed the strange feeling in her chest down and listened to Brittany recount the experience. Santana became worried as the blonde went through her story that Brittany hadn't wanted to do it.

"He didn't force you, right Brit?"

"No. He said it would feel better than just making out. And I really wanted to by that point. It hurt a little at first, but then it got okay."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. It didn't last that long. And it did feel nice towards the end. But then it was over."

"So it wasn't bad?"

"It was okay. I don't understand what the big deal is. I mean, I will do it again, but it just seems like I could do a better job myself."

Santana snorted with laughter. "Well, high school guys aren't exactly known for their generosity."

Brittany looked confused. "What does their family tree have to do with it?"

It took a second for Santana to understand what Brittany meant. "Generosity Brit, not genealogy. It means they only care about their own satisfaction, not yours."

"So it might not get better with guys?" Brittany had a strange look on her face. It kind of made Santana uncomfortable, although she couldn't answer why.

"I don't know. Maybe you just need to find the right guy. You can always take care of yourself if they can't get you off, I guess." Santana's words were nonchalant, but her heart started beating faster in her chest. She didn't understand why she would care so much about Brittany having sex. Maybe she was just jealous that the other girl did it first. She told herself it was about that and that the throb starting between her legs was because she was thinking about having sex herself and not due to the thought of the blonde touching herself.

Brittany shrugged. "I guess I can just keep going until I find someone who can make it good."

"You at least made him use a condom, right?" Santana was worried about the other girl. The last thing she wanted was some douche refusing to wear protection and Brittany not knowing any better.

Brittany's brow furrowed a little as she tried to recall. "I think he did, but I wasn't paying that much attention."

"Brittany! You have to make sure any guy you have sex with uses a condom, every time! No exceptions!" Santana was about to panic. She explained to Brittany the importance of contraception to prevent STDs and pregnancy, and after further discussion she was satisfied that the other girl knew to never have sex without a condom.

After that conversation, Santana watched Brittany's popularity go up as her promiscuity grew. By this time, Santana had started making out with Puck, who was also on the football team. They had a kind of understanding that if they didn't hook up with anyone else at a party then they would end up together that night. Brittany ended up sleeping with Puck towards the spring, and she felt bad that Santana may have been jealous about it. Santana didn't care that she slept with Puck. She had learned to force her feelings about Brittany's sex life out of her mind.

After that incident, however, Santana decided to go ahead and sleep with Puck. She didn't enjoy it at all. She didn't understand what Brittany claimed was nice about it. But since she had lost her virginity, she decided she might as well keep going and started sleeping with a bunch of different guys. It never got any better, but her popularity went up so she kept doing it.

No matter what happened, Santana and Brittany remained inseparable. They kept their friendship strong. They walked pinky in pinky around campus and no one gave them shit about it anymore. Everyone knew they were a team, and usually where one was the other was to be found as well. Shortly before the end of the school year, Quinn had started dating some dumbass football player named Finn, and Santana pitied her. Yeah, Quinn was becoming the queen bee of the school, and she was dating the future starting quarterback, but she tied herself to a moron who would only drag her down in the end.

* * *

The end of their freshman year saw them preparing for a summer of Cheerios workouts and "team-building" exercises (aka crazy stunts) Sue made them do. The weekend after school was out, Brittany and Santana and their fellow Cheerios found themselves in the middle of nowhere at night where Sue told them to strip naked and gave them all a knife and a dreamcatcher. She told them if they survived the night it would prove their strength of character. She was clearly insane, but if they wanted to stay on the squad, they had to do it.

Santana avoided the other girls as much as possible as they undressed and tried to keep her gaze on the ground. She was nervous and she felt uncomfortable stripping down like this. It was different than changing in the locker room. She was way more vulnerable out here, and they weren't allowed to hurry up and put clothes back on. The moon was really bright and it helped everyone to see whatever they wanted to see. She hurried to undress and rushed to the trees for cover. Once she got into the trees she decided it was a good place to hide from everyone else for the rest of the night.

"You look really pretty in the moonlight, Santana."

Santana jumped at the sound of Brittany's voice, so close to her that she wondered how she didn't hear her approach. She should have known the other girl would follow her. She turned toward the blonde, careful to keep her eyes pointed at the ground.

"Don't be nervous. Trust me, you have nothing to be ashamed about. I mean, you're hot."

Santana's heart beat harder than it already was at the words. She knew Brittany was staring unabashedly at her, in the way only Brittany could look at someone and seem like she was seeing straight into their soul without being embarrassed by it. Knowing that Brittany was waiting for her to lift her eyes, she pushed herself to raise her gaze.

Her eyes slowly traveled up the blonde's dancer body. She looked over the long, muscular legs that she was familiar with from the short cheerleading skirt, eyes moving quickly past the darker patch at the junction of her thighs before traveling over the taut stomach then up to perky breasts that seemed to be moving more rapidly on a chest breathing quickly. Santana's breath seemed to match the other girl's, and she wondered if her heart was pounding as much as her own.

Finally, Santana's gaze moved up to Brittany's face, noting the mouth opened in a slight "o", and seeing her blue eyes hungry for something. When Santana looked into Brittany's eyes, her breath caught and her heart beat like it did the first time she saw Brittany dancing back before school even started. The silence stretched between them, but Brittany seemed to be waiting for something. Santana didn't really know what to say, there were so many thoughts swirling through her head.

"Why do you make out with girls, Brit?" _What the hell_? That was not what she wanted to ask. _Was it_?

Brittany seemed amused by the question, though. "Because I like it. What's not to like? Girls are hot." She said it so matter-of-factly, like it was something so obvious, yet Santana knew it wasn't that straightforward.

"But do you like it better than with boys?" Santana didn't know what the hell was wrong with her. Why was she asking her this?

"I like it about the same. It is different with girls. Softer. But they all make me feel about the same."

"The guys really seem to like it when you make out with girls."

Brittany glanced away and shrugged a little at this before looking back at her. "That doesn't matter so much to me. I just do what I like to do."

Santana's heart started beating harder. She didn't think it could possibly beat any harder than it already was before, but she was wrong. She thought Brittany was trying to tell her something, but she was either too stupid or scared to figure it out. All she knew was that she wanted to kiss the blonde. But that wasn't right, Brittany was just her best friend and she was supposed to kiss boys. Right?

"Do you think if we kissed in front of boys they would like it, too?" _What the fuck, Santana?_ _Shut up!_ Brittany seemed pleased by the question, though. Maybe she was on the right track, after all.

"You should only kiss me if you want to, Santana, not just because a boy might like it."

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

Brittany tilted her head a little and smirked, but Santana noticed her hands clench a little at the question. Her voice was a little lower when she asked, "Do you want to kiss me?"

Her voice sent a lick of heat straight to Santana's center. Without thinking about it, Santana grabbed Brittany's face between her hands and pulled the taller girl's mouth down to hers and pressed their lips together, hard. She was startled by the jolt she felt throughout her body at the contact of their lips. It wasn't a deep kiss, but it opened up something deep inside.

She pulled away to look at Brittany's eyes. She saw a wanting in those eyes that looked so dark in the moonlight, but that she knew were a bright, shining blue. She wanted nothing more at that moment than to feel Brittany's lips again, and she thought the other girl wanted it, too. So she brought the blonde's mouth back to hers, gentler this time, and her eyes drifted shut as their lips moved over each other softly. She felt Brittany's hands go to her waist as she stepped closer and brought their bodies in contact with one another.

Santana gasped at the feeling of her breasts, stomach, and thighs pushed against Brittany's, and Brittany took advantage of her open mouth to deepen the kiss. Santana found herself tangling her fingers in blonde hair as their tongues began to dance against each other, and Santana felt herself becoming wetter than she ever had before.

No one had ever turned her on like this. Certainly kissing boys had never made her feel this good. Only Brittany. There could only be Brittany who could get this close to her. She felt the blonde's hands start to inch up her sides. They were just about to caress the sides of her breasts when the girls heard curses somewhere nearby.

The girls snapped apart, startled by the noises around them. Santana panicked, looking around to see if anyone saw what they had been doing. She didn't see anything, and started to feel relieved. She turned back to Brittany, but saw that she appeared to be pretty calm about possibly being seen. Santana got a little upset by this, because their lives could seriously be ruined if anyone had seen what just happened.

"I definitely think boys would find that hot. We would totally score more guys if we did that in front of them." Brittany looked disappointed with Santana's words. Santana told herself not to feel bad about it, and the girls spent the rest of the night hiding in the woods in silence.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys! I still can't believe anyone has taken an interest in this story, so thanks to you all for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Just an FYI, I don't have a beta so any mistakes are mine.**

 **Here is Chapter 4, the beginning of Part 2. Sorry the chapters are still short. They will be for a few more chapters, then they get longer I promise! This chapter includes some sexy times between our girls. This is the first time I have written anything like this, so hopefully it isn't too awkward.**

 **Again, please let me know what you think! Reviews are greatly appreciated! Pretty please!**

Part 2- Sophomore Year 2009-2010

Chapter 4

The summer went by quickly, filled with cheerleading practices, tanning poolside, and parties. Now that the girls had crossed that boundary between just best friends and friends who were something more, Santana did take advantage of it and made out with Brittany in front of boys at parties. It turned out to be a successful way to gain attention, and therefore increase her status. She also found that making out with Brittany turned her on like crazy, and so she used that to get herself in the mood to have sex with Puck or other boys if he wasn't available.

There were a couple of drawbacks to this, however. The first one being that the more she made out with Brittany in front of others, the more comfortable with it she became. She found that she soon had to stop her hands from roaming places not appropriate for others to see her hands roaming.

The other drawback was that the more she made out with Brittany in front of others, the more scared she was that people would figure out that she liked it. That she more than liked it, in fact. Santana loved making out with Brittany more than she had ever liked making out with anyone else combined.

That night in the wilderness seemed to have broken something open in Santana that she had refused to let out before. She knew she couldn't go back to the way things were before she had kissed Brittany, but she had to try to control it.

So as the summer wore on, her fear of others finding out about her feelings grew and she tried to keep the public displays down to a minimum and be seen hooking up with Puck more often. Santana kept returning to Puck because he was easy and familiar. He didn't want anything more than what they were doing, and he at least made sex bearable even if she knew would never be enjoyable. She also knew now that, as much as she shouldn't, she wanted Brittany in the way she should want boys like Puck. And she couldn't let anyone else find out her secret.

Santana definitely couldn't stop herself from kissing Brittany in private. Once they had started making out at parties, Santana couldn't go a day without thinking about Brittany's mouth. And so she found herself starting to kiss the blonde girl while they were hanging out together after cheerleading practice. This started to happen nearly every day, and she couldn't bring herself to stop even though she tried. Often, they would barely make it to one or the other's bedrooms before Santana would grab the blonde and bring their mouths crashing together as they made their way to lie down on the bed.

They made out increasingly more often in the privacy of their bedrooms as the days went by, and their sessions began to increase in intensity. Sleepovers went from watching movies and gossiping to kissing and cuddling. Sleepovers with Quinn or other Cheerios often found the girls sneaking off after the others fell asleep to find an isolated place to be together before they went back to try and get some sleep in their riled up haze.

What started out as minimal touching turned into caressing faces and arms as they kissed, which grew into grasping hips and thighs, then finally touching breasts over shirts. Brittany definitely seemed to enjoy it if her soft gasps and quiet whimpers were any evidence to go by, but she let Santana dictate how much they could do. And Santana was so thankful that the other girl let her move at her own pace, even though she could tell at times that Brittany wanted to do more.

Santana thought about that night in the wilderness a lot. She remembered every detail of Brittany's naked body and thought about it often, especially when they were kissing. She had started thinking about what sex with Brittany would be like. She found herself thinking that it may be good if they just did have sex, then maybe she would get it out of her system and things would go back to normal.

Sex hadn't been great so far with boys, so maybe she just needed to see that it was just as mediocre with girls. But she had a fear at the back of her mind that sex with Brittany would be better than anything she had ever experienced, so she was hesitant about moving past that final barrier between friends and something more. That all changed after the start of school.

Santana and Brittany made it through Cheerios try-outs easily. Quinn had been named Head Cheerio much to Santana's dismay, but not her surprise. Still, being the head cheerleader's closest friends helped their status immensely. It didn't mean that she still didn't want to do everything in her power to get into Sue's good graces in order to take Quinn's place at the top of the pyramid.

Once the school year started Santana helped Brittany learn where her new classes were, and then began the routine again of helping her with her homework after school. Shortly after classes started, however, Finn had decided to join the glee club. This caused Quinn to make Santana and Brittany join it with her. Santana definitely didn't want to join a club full of losers, especially one with that troll Rachel Berry. Brittany thought it would be fun, though, and Santana really didn't want to get on Quinn's bad side.

It all turned out even better when Coach Sue asked them to spy on the glee club to help sabotage it, because then she could gain favor with the insane cheerleading coach. Then Puck and a couple other football players joined, so she figured it wouldn't hurt their popularity too badly.

Santana discovered that she actually liked the glee club. Not that she would ever admit it to any of them, nor would she become friends with the losers that made up its ranks. But she had always liked to sing, and she enjoyed getting the chance to do so in the group. Plus, Brittany really started to shine at glee practices. Santana had never seen her more relaxed and happy as she was at glee club, except for when they were at one another's houses together. So she was more than willing to keep up with the club just to see how happy Brittany got.

They would often go home together after glee club, already relaxed and joyous, to work on homework before Santana couldn't wait anymore and started kissing Brittany. It was one of those days, after they had returned to Brittany's house so she could help the blonde with her Spanish (which she picked up pretty easily with Santana as her tutor), that she started making out with Brittany vigorously and things went further than they ever had.

Santana was lying atop Brittany, their breasts and stomachs pressed together while they were kissing deeply, tongues sliding deliciously against each other. Brittany had one hand holding the back of Santana's neck, tangled in her dark hair, to keep her in place while the other hand moved down to cup her ass. Santana had her right arm holding herself up while her left hand moved restlessly up and down Brittany's side over the Cheerios uniform. Their legs were tangled together, with the brunette's left leg situated in between the other girl's legs. She was so turned on right now, and she tried desperately not to grind her hips down onto the thigh so close to her center.

She started to move herself upwards on Brittany's body, either to try to get away from the temptation of the leg in between hers or to get a better angle to go deeper in the other girl's mouth, and as she did so her own thigh pressed up into Brittany's core. The contact made the blonde moan loudly into her mouth, and as Santana felt the damp heat emanating through the other girl's undergarments pulled back with a surprised gasp as even more heat throbbed into her own belly. She looked into Brittany's flushed face, noting the eyes darkened with desire, both girls panting, breathless.

"Sorry," Brittany whispered, looking shyly away. Was it possible Brittany was turned on just as much by what they were doing? Santana hadn't dared to hope she felt the same way. But the dampness she was feeling against her leg was evidence that maybe the blonde wanted Santana to touch her as badly as she herself wanted to. Her desire was making her brain foggy, and she just knew if she didn't take the chance now she probably never would.

"Brit. Do you…" Her mouth suddenly felt dry, and she nervously licked her lips. "Do you want me to… touch you?"

Brittany's eyes whipped back to Santana's face, surprised by the quiet words. She studied the brunette quietly for a few seconds before nodding, keeping her blue eyes locked on the brown eyes above her. Santana didn't know whether she was terrified or elated or both at the blonde's response, but her heart started pounding harder and her breathing picked up at the thought of making Brittany come apart with her touch.

The blonde continued to watch her face as she shifted slightly away and then slowly moved her left hand from the girl's side over her hip and in between their bodies before travelling up the inside of her thigh and disappearing up into the cheerleading skirt. Her fingers came to the source of the heat between Brittany's legs and gently pressed against the damp undergarments, now more wet than they were before.

Brittany sucked in a breath and closed her eyes at Santana's touch, her hips moving involuntarily trying to create the friction her body craved. The brunette's fingers were tentative at first, but as she saw that the other girl enjoyed her motion she increased her pressure earning another whimper in response.

"Santana, please." Santana knew what Brittany's breathy request was for. She moved away in order to pull down the other girl's cheerleading spankies and panties and toss them aside before returning to her position and sliding her fingers through Brittany's wet folds for the first time. Santana groaned at the feeling of Brittany's wetness coating her fingers as Brittany threw her head back and moaned loudly. She was soaking wet, and the brunette couldn't believe that she had made her that way.

Santana watched the blonde while her fingers found her clit and began rubbing gentle circles around it. Her mouth hung open in a small "o", brows furrowed, breathing heavily as Santana's fingers worked her center. Santana found her to be more beautiful than she had ever seen her, and it all became a little overwhelming. The pounding of her heart was accompanied by a pulling in her chest, and she was scared. She couldn't stop the ball she had started rolling, but she closed her eyes and buried her face against Brittany's shoulder to try and keep it all inside.

Brittany's hips began moving more as Santana picked up her pace, and she started whimpering. She seemed to want something but didn't know exactly what. Santana started moving her hand to explore further, and slipped her middle finger inside of the other girl.

"Oh, God!" Brittany cried out as her back arched slightly and her center clamped slightly on the brunette's finger. She seemed to have discovered what it was she wanted, and she grasped the dark haired girl's hips in appreciation.

Santana pulled out, only to slide two fingers back into her and be rewarded with a gasp followed by a groan as she started to slowly pump in and out of her friend. She heard the blonde's gasps and whimpers in her ear as she started kissing and sucking on Brittany's neck while she continued thrusting her hand.

She was so turned on at this point that she couldn't stop herself from grinding her hips down into Brittany's thigh, which had found its way back in between her legs. The pressure felt so good, and she increased the pace of her thrusting in time with the motion of her hips. Soon Brittany was moaning loudly, and Santana was glad that the blonde's parents and sister weren't home.

Once she started using her thumb to massage Brittany's clit along with her thrusting, it didn't take long for the blonde's back to arch suddenly, her center clamping down on Santana's fingers as she cried out in ecstasy, pressing their bodies together. Santana almost came apart hearing her name come from the blonde's lips, but she instead stopped moving her hips and concentrated on continuing to move her hand as best as she could in between them as the other girl rode out her orgasm.

Once Brittany started to relax and her breathing slowed, Santana slowly pulled her fingers from her center and opened her eyes to pull back and look at her friend. Brittany's face was flushed and her eyes fluttered open, a satisfied smile on her face as she turned to look at the brunette. Santana's heart was still pounding, unsure if it was ok to have crossed that barrier and what it meant for them, but she gave a small smile in return.

Before she could even think to say anything, Brittany grabbed the back of her head to bring her in for a searing kiss and then all thoughts flew out of her head as the dancer flipped her onto her back and lay her body on top of hers. Santana had never let Brittany be on top during their make out sessions on the bed. They either lay on their sides facing each other or with Santana on top because it made her feel more in control.

She was about to push the blonde away to protest when she felt fingers sliding their way up in between her thighs and reach her core, pressing slightly against her soaked undergarments. Her hips rocked up of their own accord, seeking to increase the contact of the fingers she desperately wanted to touch her like no one before.

Brittany shifted to lay with her upper body atop the brunette's, hips and legs laying next to her in order to give herself better access to where she wanted to be, as if Brittany knew Santana would chicken out if she pulled away even for a moment. The blonde continued kissing her deeply, tongues stroking each other, as she moved her hand up so she could reach the edge of the spankies and panties under Santana's skirt before sliding it inside and down to touch the source of wetness directly. Santana had never felt anything better in her life as Brittany's fingers slid up her folds and began stroking her clit.

"Fuck, Brittany!" She groaned as she broke from Brittany's mouth to gasp in much needed air. Her eyes were clenched tightly closed and her hips began to rock harder as the dancer's pressure increased against her clit. No one had ever made her feel this good. Not even herself when she had fantasized about this very thing happening alone in her bed at night.

Then the dancer slid her hand further down and suddenly slipped two fingers inside of her and she saw stars. She thrust her fingers in and out of Santana's core, using the heel of her hand to rub against the brunette's clit to add stimulation to the penetration. Brittany pressed kisses to her jaw and neck as she continued pumping in and out. Santana knew that she wouldn't last much longer. She could feel Brittany's eyes on her, watching her in her pleasure.

"You're so beautiful, Santana," Brittany murmured.

Santana came undone at the blonde's words, her back arching, head thrown back, feet pressing into the mattress, fingers digging into the sheets and Brittany's shoulder as a strangled cry broke free from her throat.

"God, Brit." Santana's body shuddered with aftershocks as she started coming down from her high, and the blonde gave small kisses around her mouth and jaw. Finally, her heart and breathing slowed back to normal and Brittany slipped her fingers out to her dismay. She opened her eyes to see the other girl watching her intently.

"That was amazing," Brittany told her, a large grin spreading across her face. Santana grinned back, satisfied.

"Yeah, it was." Then the realization of what they did started to hit her and her face fell. Oh God, had she really just had sex with her best friend? With a girl? And she had enjoyed it, too.

 _What does this mean_? Santana became lost in her thoughts. She certainly had never come having sex with a guy. And she seriously thought that having sex with Brittany would get it out of her system? She knew now that she would never get enough of touching Brittany that way, or having Brittany touch her. She started to panic, and the dancer saw the change come over her and frowned.

"Santana, don't."

Santana sat up, forcing Brittany to sit up as well. She started fixing her hair and shook the blonde's hand off as she tried to grab her arm to get her to stop.

"What's wrong? Please talk to me," Brittany implored.

"What's to talk about? We had sex, it was fun. It's not like we are going to start dating or anything." She dared to look over at the other girl, and her heart broke a little to see the look of hurt in those blue eyes and knowing that she put it there made it worse.

"So it's just sex?"

For a second Santana wanted to say no, that her heart knew it was more than just sex. She pushed those feelings way down, burying them deep so she wouldn't have to think about them.

 _No one can know_.

"No one can know. It isn't like we're gay or anything." Her heart beat a little in fear at those words. Despite what she was saying, she knew she wouldn't be able to not touch Brittany again. "Listen, BritBrit. What we did was nice, and it would be cool to do it again. But if we do, you can't tell anyone. It has to be our secret, okay?"

The blonde studied her face for a long time. "Okay, Santana. I promise." She reached her hand over and wrapped her pinky around Santana's, although she still seemed disappointed. Santana gripped her pinky back and smiled a little. She was relieved, so why did she still feel bad?


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is a short chapter, sorry! It is mostly just filler to move things along and to give a better idea of what is going on in Santana's head about everything. I will be honest, writing sophomore year was the toughest for me, so these chapters I fear are the worst.**

 **Anyways, as always please let me know what you think. I sincerely appreciate the people who are reviewing, favoriting, and following! Reviews help me know if this is completely terrible or if I at least got something right. So please review!**

Chapter 5

The next couple of months the girls grew closer than ever. They had sex on a near daily basis, and Santana had lost herself in Brittany's body so many times to the point where she felt like she was drowning in her. Their intimate moments had evolved to where they stripped their clothes off while they kissed deeply, then wandering hands and mouths caressed bare skin and breasts before their naked bodies came together and they brought each other to peak with their hands.

She had stopped making out with Brittany at parties because she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to hold back from just kissing. All of their intimate contact now came in private, and it made it that much more intimate between them. And since Puck was so obsessed with Quinn since she was having his kid, Santana hadn't been hooking up with him as much lately and that gave her more time to spend with Brittany, learning what made her feel good and what made her melt from her touch.

Being in glee club only brought them closer. They became so comfortable around each other in glee club that some of the touches they would normally only give each other in their bedrooms found their way into the choir room. Caresses of legs and arms, heads resting on the other's shoulder, and even small smiles and linked pinkies all became common for them in glee. No one said anything to them, so Santana began to look forward to glee practice even more. She felt happy that she and Brittany could act more like themselves somewhere other than at their houses.

Santana found herself watching the dancer more and more from the back row of the choir room as the taller girl laughed and socialized with the other kids, and she couldn't be happier to see Brittany be free to be who she was and be accepted for it. Particularly when she had the freedom to dance the way she was meant to in glee club. She was at her most beautiful then, and Santana absolutely loved to watch her at those times.

Sure, most of the glee kids were losers, particularly that oaf, Finn, and Berry with her man-hands and ridiculous diva attitude, but they accepted her and Brittany and everyone else no matter what. Nobody had a problem with Kurt being gay or the way Tina dressed or the fact that Quinn was pregnant. Not that she trusted them to have her back the way Brittany did, but she at least tolerated being around them.

Now that Quinn had been kicked off of the Cheerios, Santana was in line to take over as head cheerleader. She just needed a little more time to convince Sue that she was the right woman for the job. She knew Brittany had her back and would help her in her quest to become the top bitch in charge at McKinley. They even had a shot to earn two national championships this year, as long as everything didn't fall apart and they could win Sectionals for the glee club. Even with Sue's plotting to destroy glee, Santana and Brittany worked their butts off to make sure they were able to take the other glee clubs down.

Then everything started to come crashing down when Rachel found out Quinn's baby was Puck's. Everyone was all fearful that the hobbit was going to spill the beans and ruin their chances at Sectionals. And they had blamed Santana for telling Berry out of jealousy, which was the furthest thing from the truth. But Santana didn't care so much about that. She cared about what happened when they were all on the phone talking about it.

"I'm so sorry. It was an accident!" Brittany implored as the girls walked down the school hallway. Brittany was visibly upset, and Santana wanted to comfort her even though she was still mad after the blonde had let it slip to several members of the glee club that they slept together in a way not typical of best friends.

Santana shook her head in frustration. The blonde had apologized like five times already and they had only hung up the phone less than a minute ago. She knew Brittany hadn't meant to blurt that out, but if they play it cool then no one should suspect anything. She stopped walking and the other girl stopped with her so they could face each other.

"I know, Brittany. Just stop. As long as they don't go talking around to anyone, it should be fine."

"I really didn't mean to, it just slipped out."

"I'm sure they will just think you said something stupid and not that we actually have sex." _Oh, shit_. Santana watched Brittany's face fall. "Shit, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I meant that since they don't usually understand everything you say, because they're a little slow, that they will probably think you meant something else. You know I don't think you're stupid, Brit."

Santana wasn't sure her words would soothe the blonde's hurt feelings. She really hadn't meant to imply that her friend was stupid. She knew she wasn't, especially since she had spent the last couple of years helping her do her schoolwork. Brittany just learned in a different way and didn't do well on tests. The dancer had lowered her gaze to the floor at Santana's words.

"BritBrit, please look at me." The girl slowly raised her gaze, tears threatening to fall from her blue eyes. Santana's heart clenched. "I promise I didn't mean it the way it sounded. You are so smart, and everyone else is an idiot when they think otherwise. Those glee losers especially, because they get to see the real you more than anyone other than me and your family, and they still don't understand you."

Slowly Brittany started to smile, and Santana was relieved. She didn't know what she would do if Brittany had been mad at her.

"Sometimes I think you are the only one who really understands me, Santana," Brittany said quietly.

"That's because I'm your best friend," Santana stated matter-of-factly. She felt a little thrill at the thought of being the only one who knew Brittany that well. It meant they had a special bond, one that no one else could share with the blonde. And it made her happy in a way that she didn't really want to question. She just accepted it.

Brittany smiled sweetly at her, making her heart flutter a little. She still hadn't gotten used to that feeling, but she had learned how to ignore it once it started.

"I'm so glad you decided to be my best friend when we met at Cheerios tryouts," Brittany told her. "I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't met you."

Santana felt the words settle somewhere deep in her heart. She didn't know what she would have done without the blonde in her life either.

"I'm glad, too. I think we were destined to be best friends."

Brittany's smile softened, and Santana saw a look come into the blue eyes in front of her. She had seen it before, but she didn't know what it was. She decided not to think about it.

"I definitely think it was fate," the blonde said quietly. Santana thought Brittany was trying to say something else. Suddenly, the air between them felt charged, and she started to get uncomfortable. They were still in the middle of a crowded hallway at school. So she quickly decided to move on, giving her friend a goofy grin and making her laugh.

"Come on, Brit. Let's go show all these losers what two hot chicks can do at this school." She extended her right pinky to her best friend, offering a smile. Brittany smiled back, linked her left pinky to Santana's, and the girls continued on their way down the hall as Santana pushed her mind away from thinking about the girl beside her.

* * *

Santana was stressed. She smoothed over the incident of Brittany giving Coach Sue the set list for Sectionals with the other glee kids, and everything seemed to be okay with them. Thankfully they had ended up winning, otherwise it might not have turned out that well. Unfortunately, Sue kept pushing for her and Brittany to find ways to destroy the glee club, and if she didn't do it then she risked not being Head Cheerio.

First, she mandated that Santana and Brittany to seduce Finn away from Rachel, and neither of the girls were thrilled with that assignment. Santana just couldn't go through with it in the end, and instead spent the rest of the evening after their disastrous three-way date back in her bedroom making Brittany come, using her hips as leverage against her hand to thrust her fingers deep inside while providing pressure against her own core to push herself over the edge.

Then Sue went through her crazy Madonna phase and made them get younger boyfriends. Brittany knew how important it was for Santana to follow the coach's rules in order to maintain her status, so she told her to seduce Finn. Neither of them was happy about it, and Santana really hated having sex with Frankenteen. Not only was the sex bad, but she felt horrible afterwards. She hadn't been intimate with anyone but Brittany for awhile, and it almost felt like she was cheating on the blonde.

Which was ridiculous, because they were _not_ dating. She decided that she needed to resume sleeping with Puck, particularly if her status was in jeopardy of declining.

Pretty soon, she found herself trying to hook up with Puck again. She even went after him even when he tried dating Mercedes for that week he was acting really weird when he had to shave his mohawk. She just felt that her sleeping with guys would protect her popularity, but she couldn't bring herself to sleep around like she had been before. Puck was the easiest guy to hook up with, and she honestly didn't care that he knocked Quinn up. She was just grateful it wasn't her.

Most days she had sex with Puck she hurried through the act, taking control as usual to get him off as quickly as possible before dressing swiftly and leaving. She always felt nauseated afterwards, hating his scent and remnants of his touch on her body. She usually ended up in Brittany's bedroom to spend the night after being with him, removing any traces of his touch by replacing it with hers, ending with an exhausting orgasm so they could fall asleep in each other's arms.

Santana avoided thinking about what any of this meant. It was too much for her to think about. For now, she just wanted to enjoy the way being with Brittany made her feel and not analyze it. She was still terrified that it might be more than just a phase, more than just something that felt good for awhile. As long as she didn't think about it, then it couldn't be more than just sex. At least that is what she kept telling herself.

Brittany seemed to understand that they weren't supposed to talk about it even between themselves. After the incident on the party line call with the glee kids, the blonde made sure to keep her mouth shut about the nature of their relationship. She knew it was still okay to touch the way they had been in the choir room, but she always ceded control of their relationship to Santana. She let the brunette initiate every touch, every intimate encounter, and let her dictate how far they could go. Santana appreciated it, but she had a feeling Brittany was waiting for something. She just didn't know exactly what she was waiting for.

Santana did notice that, even though Brittany still made out with other people at parties, she didn't seem to be having sex with any of them anymore. This both relieved her and scared her, but she was too afraid to talk to Brittany about it. Maybe one day she would figure things out, but she was only 16 and she was confused. All she wanted to worry about right now was making it through classes, getting Brittany through her classes, winning Nationals for the Cheerios, and preparing for Regionals for glee.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Another short chapter. I always intended to write two stories following the same events: one from Santana's POV and one from Brittany's POV. I decided to start with Santana's POV because I thought it would be easier for me, because I understand Santana a lot as a character. But I have learned that it is actually easier for me to write Brittany's POV, and no matter how many times I go back to try to revise and add to what I have written for this story, I can't really come up with much to make it any longer.**

 **So, I apologize for that. But hopefully you all are enjoying it. And I really do promise that the chapters will get longer and more involved. It is just that Santana in the beginning of the show was so reluctant to share anything about herself, and she internalized a lot (although her face was very expressive), so it was hard for me to come up with stuff to write for these first few years that wouldn't be completely made up and go against canon. But that may just be because this is the first story I have ever really written and I am not a good enough writer.**

 **Anyways. As always, thanks to everyone who has been following, favoriting, reviewing, etc. I am glad to see at least somebody is reading it! Please review and let me know what you think!**

Chapter 6

They had lost. That twat Jesse St. James had defected back to Vocal Adrenaline, totally messing with Berry by helping her realize that Shelby Corcoran was her mother and fucking with the glee club's dynamic. Even as great as winning Nationals with the Cheerios was, and how great the private celebration between her and Brittany was afterwards, it didn't make up for losing at Regionals.

Santana wanted to go all Lima Heights on that douchebag's ass. Her bitch persona was enough to scare most people off, but she really wanted to hurt that kid. Even though her dad was a doctor and her family was well off, she had spent a lot of time as a kid at her abuela's house on the bad side of town while her parents were working. Her abuela eventually moved into a better neighborhood when Santana was 10, but she had learned a lot of life's lessons from that old neighborhood and she was pretty grateful for it. Brittany talked her down from her rage, though, as only Brittany could.

Quinn had her baby, and the girls kind of reconnected after all of the drama went down. She felt pretty bad for Quinn, having to go through all of that and giving up her daughter. Thank God Santana was always so careful about using protection when she had sex. She was religious about her birth control pills, and she always insisted the guys she was with used a condom no matter how much they complained, especially Puck. At least Quinn and Puck knew that Beth was going to a good woman who will love her.

Santana was crushed that the glee club was going to be over. She had grown to love singing and performing. She truly looked forward to being on the stage, and she really thought she may want to sing professionally in the future or something like that. She was going to miss the rush of performing and the applause.

She was going to miss most of the glee kids, too. Not that she would admit it to them. She had grown used to Berry's atrocious sense of style and ridiculous personality. She felt a strange affiliation for Kurt, though she didn't know exactly why. She actually liked and respected Mercedes for the most part. The Asians were okay; even if she didn't talk to Tina much, at least Mike was cool. Artie was always pretty nice to her, and she didn't mind talking with him. Finnocence was still an oaf but tolerable, mostly because he was the quarterback and had some popularity to back him up. And of course she was already on friendly terms with Quinn and Puck.

The worst thing about losing glee club, however, was that it meant that she would no longer have a safe haven at school for her and Brittany to be the way they wanted to around each other. They would have to go back to the best friends only persona, being able to get away with walking pinky-in-pinky down the hall but removing the gentle touches and cuddling they could do without fear in the choir room. They would have to go back to hiding in their bedrooms, and the more Santana hid from everyone, the more things she wanted to hide.

Especially from herself.

She had grown so much already by being in glee club. She had opened herself up to her feelings a little by using music and lyrics, and she loved that she could watch Brittany bloom at the same time.

Santana knew that glee club was actually making her a better person. She would have never even spoken to half of the people in the glee club before, unless it was to put them down. But now, she actually cared about them.

She now officially cared about more people than she had in years. The only person she had cared about the past year or so (besides herself) was Brittany. She knew Brittany got along with the losers in glee better than she did, and that was okay because she knew she would always be Brittany's best friend.

No one understood Brittany the way she did. Her whimsical ways could be charming to others, but they still didn't understand. Santana knew Brittany better than anyone ever could, and she knew that losing glee was just as upsetting to her, too.

That's why she was so glad when they found out that the glee club was given another year. They may have lost at Regionals this year, but they still had another chance next year to make it. They still had their safe haven. And Santana was happier than she could remember being in a long time.

"I can't believe Sue backed off and we have another year," she told Brittany as they sat on her bed. They had just got to Santana's house after school and were going to work on homework, but got sidetracked by talking about their cheer coach's sudden change of attitude.

"I know!" Brittany enthused. "It was like the nicest thing she's ever done. I am so glad we still have glee."

"Me, too."

Santana gave a small smile to the blonde, who gave a giddy grin back. Brittany then looked down at her hands, which started playing with Santana's comforter as her grin softened into a shy smile.

"I really like being in glee club with you," Brittany said quietly. "You just seem really happy there, and I like seeing you like that. It's better than when we're alone because you let other people see it, too."

Santana's heart fluttered at the other girl's words, but she looked away in embarrassment. She couldn't help but be a little flustered at how easy it was for Brittany to read her. It made her wonder if Brittany knew that the reason she was happy in glee club was mostly because of her, and she was a little afraid that she did.

"Yeah, well, I like to sing and it makes me happy to see how much more talented I am than most of those losers," she said, adding a little shrug as if she didn't care about the other members.

She looked back at the blonde, and Brittany just stared at her knowingly. Damn it, that girl could see right through her. She expected Brittany to call her out on her fib.

"I love your voice," the blonde said instead. She looked at Santana sincerely, but with a little bit of nervousness. "It gives me chills when you sing. I would love it if you sang me a song one day."

Santana froze. The thought of singing a song to Brittany made her heart start pounding in her chest. She wasn't sure why, but it seemed like she was feeling both a mixture of fear and pleasure at the idea. But the fear won out. It was just something too intimate, too public, and too romantic to do. She knew she couldn't do it. At least not now.

Or not ever.

"It's okay, Santana," Brittany's voice broke her out of her thoughts. "We can just sing together in glee."

Santana felt her heart sink a little at hearing the disappointment in the other girl's voice. She didn't like feeling that way, and she got a little angry that Brittany was trying to push her into something.

"Shit, Brittany. Singing a song to someone is what couples do, and we aren't dating," she said a little too harshly. "We won't ever be dating. I'm not gay."

Brittany looked down at her lap again, a look of hurt clear on her face.

"Okay," the blonde whispered.

Santana suddenly didn't feel like helping Brittany with her homework at the moment. She just felt the need to get out of there. She didn't want to think about anything right now.

"I forgot, I told Puck I would meet up with him today," she said as she looked away from the other girl. "So you should probably go."

"Yeah, wouldn't want you to miss your time with Puck," Brittany said harshly.

Santana was surprised at the venom in the blonde's voice. She had never heard Brittany speak to her in anger before. It made the guilt crash down on her. But she refused to look at the other girl, knowing she would see the disappointment and hurt in those blue eyes.

Brittany gathered up her things and got ready to leave. Just as she was almost out of Santana's bedroom door, Santana felt the need to say something to clear the tension between them.

"Brit," she started. Brittany paused by the door and turned partially. She wouldn't face Santana, and instead looked toward the side of the room waiting for Santana to speak. "If you need any help on your homework tonight, just let me know. I'm sure I can come over later."

Brittany looked down at the floor, her foot fidgeting a little as she rolled it around on the point of her toe. She was quiet for a moment, then she nodded slightly.

"I'll let you know," she stated, the softness in her voice still missing but the hardness from before was gone. Then she turned and walked out, leaving Santana by herself. She didn't call Puck, and instead waited if she would hear from the blonde she would have rather been with.

* * *

The rest of the school year went by pretty quickly, and things between Santana and Brittany went back to pretty much normal. Without the pressure of preparing for any cheerleading or glee club competitions, Santana could concentrate on her classes. She could also concentrate on helping Brittany pass her classes. She had developed a way to help Brittany learn a little better, but she could only do so much.

Most of Brittany's teachers had written her off and didn't know how to teach to her, so it was up to Santana to do what she could. She could tell that the blonde was intelligent, and she learned that a lot of the behavior others found confusing was mostly an act. But she knew that Brittany still struggled with her academics and was insecure about people's opinions of her intelligence.

That's why Santana worked so hard to teach her what she could. Brittany picked up Spanish pretty well, and they could hold basic conversations fairly easily. The blonde particularly liked when she finally started understanding most of the things Santana would whisper in her ear in Spanish when things got hot and heavy between them. The problem was that Mr. Schue was a pretty lousy Spanish teacher and gave most of his tests as written exams, which Brittany had trouble with.

Brittany struggled particularly with math, and no matter what Santana did to try to help her, Brittany did her best to avoid it. The blonde couldn't really explain why she avoided math as much as she did. The best she could do was say that numbers danced in her head and it was like when the unicorns and dinosaurs fought in her dreams. This was one of the few times that Santana didn't really know how to interpret what Brittany meant, so the best she could offer was to tell Brittany to cheat in that class.

The girls went back to spending time in each other's rooms after school. Their homework often found itself pushed off until they had their fill of each other, since Santana still couldn't seem to stop herself from kissing or touching the other girl. Sometimes while they were together Santana would get a text from Puck wanting to hook up.

Most of the time she felt like she had to accept in order to keep up appearances. If she kept turning him down, people would start talking. So when she agreed to meet him, she would leave Brittany with a pang in her chest that she tried to ignore. It only got worse, especially since the blonde seemed to get more disappointed every time she did it.

The few occasions Santana turned him down, Brittany was ecstatic. When they got around to having sex, she would tease the brunette mercilessly, working her up into a frenzy before making her orgasm harder than ever. Santana never regretted turning Puck down when that happened.

But there was still a deep seeded feeling of guilt in her belly that never went away about what she was doing with Brittany. When it got particularly bad, she usually went to Puck and got super aggressive with him during sex. She never went to Brittany after those episodes, and instead went home to shower in scalding hot water and scrub herself raw. She hated herself after those incidents.

Santana didn't want to examine why she felt those things. She didn't want to believe that Brittany was anything more than her best friend that she had sex with sometimes. She didn't want to believe that there was a reason why she didn't really enjoy sex with boys. She didn't want to believe that she was different, or that she was anything other than what everyone else would consider a 'normal' girl. So she didn't think about it. Because if she didn't think about it, then she didn't have to come to any conclusions she wasn't ready for yet.

Santana and Brittany went to more parties throughout the rest of the school year, and Santana made sure to still not make out with Brittany in public anymore. She didn't want to share that part of their lives with anyone besides them. Partly because it was something she felt was special between them, but partly because she was terrified of anyone finding out there was something more than friendship between them.

She usually left those parties with Puck.

Santana was especially concerned about her popularity now that Quinn had the baby and her status on the squad was threatened. Quinn had mentioned that she was going to try to get back on the Cheerios next year. Santana wanted to do whatever she could to keep her top spot on the squad and in the school.

That meant her public persona had to be perfect. No one could see her be vulnerable, not like Brittany could. So she had to keep her walls up and not let anyone see anything she didn't want them to see.

Once the end of the school year arrived, Santana and Brittany were excited. Brittany had passed her classes, and Santana had done well. They had the summer to look forward to, and next year they would get glee club back. They celebrated the start of summer vacation at Brittany's house because her parents were out of town with her little sister for a soccer tournament, and they let Brittany stay home.

They spent the night making out on the couch while movies played in the background before they couldn't take it anymore and they moved upstairs. They removed each other's clothes before lying on the bed facing each other, slowly caressing each other's breasts, teasing nipples into hard peaks with fingers and mouths, rubbing thighs against each other's wet centers as their hips rocked toward each other.

They didn't have to worry about holding back their moans and cries as they touched, each girl driving the other towards their peak. When they finally reached their hands into the junction of the other's legs and let their fingers slide through the slick folds of each other, they were both so worked up that Santana came quickly with Brittany following soon after.

They fell asleep naked, wrapped in each other's arms. Santana woke up in the middle of the night to insistent hands rubbing her breasts, and she let Brittany have her way with her again, not even caring that the blonde took control though she had never let her like that before. It wasn't a bad way to start the summer at all.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. It is another really short one, but it has more sexy times. So hopefully that makes up for the length! Just an FYI, I am approaching the halfway mark on the companion story, but it is ending up being quite a bit longer than this story turned out so it might take me longer than I anticipated to get it finished. I am not going to start posting chapters until it is complete, but my goal is to have it done by the time I finish posting this story.**

 **As usual, thanks to everyone who is reading this. Please let me know what you think, as this is my first ever attempt at writing anything longer than a short story (like super short). I feel that my writing has improved since I first started this, but it is nice to know if people are enjoying or appreciating this. Thanks!**

Part 3- Junior Year 2010-2011

Chapter 7

"I just don't understand why you want to do it."

"Brit, we've talked about it. I already told you why." Santana sighed in frustration. They were in her room about a month before school was going to start again, and they were supposed to be watching some Sweet Valley High and getting their mack on. Instead, they were talking again about Santana's decision to get breast implants before cheerleading try-outs.

"I know we talked about it, but I still don't understand. You have great boobs. Your body is awesome the way it is. Plus you know Sue would punish you if she found out." Brittany was pouting, and Santana was finding it adorable even if she was tired of having this conversation.

"As far as Sue knows, I am going on a long vacation after a minor procedure to have a mole removed. I will be back in time for Cheerios try-outs, and be perfectly fine. What that bitch doesn't know won't hurt her. And as for why I am doing it, for the hundredth time, I am doing it because with Quinn gearing back up to take the Head Cheerio spot, I need something to make me stand out. I can't lose my status at that stupid school after all the work I've put in, especially since being in glee club takes a chunk out of it."

"Well I don't understand why you think you need new boobs to achieve any of that. I don't know why you can't see how awesome you are, Santana. Others would see it, too, if you let them." Brittany looked into her eyes imploringly, stating this like it was totally obvious. Santana didn't know how the girl she let know all of her imperfections found her to be so awesome. It made her heart flutter and gave her a funny pull in her stomach when Brittany said things like this.

"I know you think I'm awesome, and I know I'm bitchin', but a boob job will help me be more awesome. The surgery is tomorrow, BritBrit. My mind is made up." Santana made sure she sounded resolute. She was totally nervous about the surgery, and she was still having second thoughts about making changes like that to her body, but she knew she wasn't going to back out of it. Not when it could make her feel better about herself and maybe relieve this constant ache in her chest. All she wanted was to be accepted by everyone, and bigger boobs could make a lot more people take notice of her.

Brittany still had a little pout on her face, so Santana started to tickle her ribs, scrunching up her nose to get the blonde to laugh because she couldn't stand to see her sad anymore. Brittany started giggling, trying to grab at the brunette's hands to get her to stop. The girls were both laughing when the taller girl finally grasped Santana's hands and used her strength to push Santana down on the bed to straddle her hips. She held the brunette's hands down on the bed up by her shoulders as she leaned over her, blonde hair hanging down like a curtain around her face. She smirked down at Santana, pleased at having the upper hand.

"Since this is the last time I am ever going to get to play with these boobs, then you better let me have my fill of them tonight." Santana felt a wave of heat flush across her body as an insistent throbbing started at her center. Brittany had become a little more aggressive and insistent in their sexy times ever since the beginning of summer when Santana had woken up to her massaging her breasts and had let her take control. She discovered that she liked giving up control to the dancer and letting her lead their intimacy. She had never given up control with the guys she had been with because she had never felt comfortable enough to do so. But Brittany was different. Brittany would always stop if Santana asked her to when she felt overwhelmed by something, but most of the time she was comfortable enough to let her do as she pleased.

"I guess you'd better take your time then." Santana's voice was husky with desire, and she watched as Brittany licked her lips and her blue eyes become overtaken by black pupils dilated with lust. The blonde leaned down to kiss her, and the kiss escalated quickly as Brittany's tongue asked for entrance and Santana's mouth opened eagerly to let it in. Their tongues danced across each other in long, lingering strokes and the brunette's hips started rocking up, pushing into Brittany's warm center.

Much too soon for her liking, Brittany broke away to place soft kisses down Santana's jaw and neck, sucking lightly until she got to the junction of her shoulder where she bit down a little and sucked harder. Santana moaned as she tilted her head to give better access. The dancer released her hands in order to bring them down to the hem of Santana's shirt, grasping it before leaning back and making Santana sit up to remove it. She tossed the shirt to the side of the room and quickly reached behind the brunette to unclasp her bra before removing that and tossing it away as well.

She pushed Santana back down, then removed her own shirt and bra before leaning back down to press their bare breasts against one another. Both girls moaned at the contact and the blonde started kissing Santana's neck again, moving down to her collarbone to place feather-light kisses across it. She then brought a hand up to start softly massaging one breast, rubbing her thumb lightly across the hardening nipple as she kissed her way down to the other breast, nipping softly with her teeth before sucking the nipple into her mouth and flicking her tongue against it.

Santana arched her back and whimpered, thrusting her breast up harder into Brittany's mouth. Her hand started squeezing harder on the breast it gripped, pinching and rolling the nipple between fingers as she released the other breast from her mouth with a slight popping noise. She sat up and brought her other hand to the breast she had been teasing with her mouth, now massaging both with her hands, alternating between gentle and hard squeezes.

Santana was writhing from the pleasure, enjoying watching Brittany having fun with her boobs. Suddenly, the taller girl pulled away and moved toward the end of the bed, grasping the waist of the brunette's shorts to unsnap the button and slide the zipper down. She quickly divested Santana of her shorts and panties before crawling back up the other girl's body seductively. She kissed Santana again, hungrily, sucking her bottom lip before biting it gently and releasing it.

Santana had never seen Brittany this aggressive before, and it was seriously turning her on. She could feel her wetness start to run down her thighs as she clamped them together to relieve some of the pressure. The blonde licked and sucked her way down her neck and sternum, making a stop on each breast to kiss and suck first before kissing her way down her abdomen.

Santana was in such a pleasured stupor that it took her a minute to figure out where Brittany's mouth was heading, and she almost spread her legs for the blonde before she realized what she was doing. Santana had never let anyone go down on her before, not Brittany nor any of the guys she had fucked. It was too intimate, and she would feel too vulnerable if she let someone close to her in that way. She stiffened and grabbed at Brittany's chin to stop her.

"Don't, Brit." Brittany stopped and looked up into her face. Santana looked away, avoiding eye contact. She still couldn't look at Brittany during sex, it was too personal. The blonde studied her for a second.

"I really want to, Santana. I think it would be really good, and I think I could make you feel really good doing it. I want to taste you. Please?" Santana felt more heat settle in her core at the words, and she really considered letting the blonde get what she wanted. Brittany seemed to sense that the brunette was on the verge of giving in and was about to lean down to kiss her taut stomach again. But Santana thought about how vulnerable it would make her and the possible repercussions if she let it happen and she knew she wasn't ready to do it.

"No, Brit. Please, I just can't do that." Santana closed her eyes, ashamed, as she heard the pleading in her voice. She could feel Brittany studying her closely.

"Okay. If you don't want to that's fine. I can make you feel good a different way." Santana could swear she heard a faint trace of disappointment in the blonde's voice, but couldn't bring herself to open her eyes to see if it showed on her face.

Brittany moved away for a second and Santana could tell that she was removing her own shorts and panties. She returned quickly and lay atop of the brunette, sliding a leg in between the other girl's and bringing her thigh up against her center. Santana gasped at the contact and brought her own thigh up so Brittany could thrust her slick center against it. The blonde put her weight on her left arm to hold herself up while she brought her right hand up to massage Santana's breasts again. She really was concentrating on getting her fill of Santana's boobs tonight.

She leaned down and starting kissing the brunette again as their hips rocked, grinding their cores against each other's thighs. Santana couldn't resist anymore and threaded her right hand into Brittany's hair while moving her left in between their bodies to slide her fingers into the blonde's folds. She received a moan in her mouth for her efforts, and Brittany decided she had paid enough attention to Santana's breasts. She moved her own hand down to Santana's center and swiftly entered her with two fingers. Santana arched up at the intrusion, gasping as her walls gripped Brittany's digits.

Brittany set a fairly quick pace, thrusting her fingers in and out and using the rocking of her hips to assist in her thrusts. Santana slid two fingers up into the blonde and matched her pace, curling her fingers inside of her and rubbing her thumb against her clit. Brittany threw her head back with a groan.

"Fuck, Santana!" Santana snickered a little, not used to hearing the other girl curse very often and pleased with herself for coaxing it out of her. Brittany's hips started rocking harder, grinding down onto the brunette's hand and pushing her own deeper into Santana. It wasn't long before the blonde's body tensed, inner walls clamping down hard on Santana's hand as she reached her peak and cried out. Santana thought she heard part of her name on her cries, but didn't have much time to think about it before the pleasure of the sound and Brittany's continued thrusts caused her to go over the edge.

"Oh God, Brit!" She yelled out as her orgasm raced through her, causing her hips to lift off the bed and her fingers to tighten in blonde hair, tugging as she rode the waves of ecstasy. Slowly they both came back down, breathing becoming less erratic and hearts beating less loudly as their bodies relaxed. Brittany sagged down into Santana, removing her fingers causing Santana to wince a little as she did. Santana gently removed her hand from Brittany's center and wiped it on the bed before wrapping both arms around the other girl and hugging her tight. She opened her eyes as Brittany slid slightly to lie a little to the side, and watched as the blonde brought the fingers of her hand that she had used inside of Santana to her mouth. She made sure the brunette was looking before she put the fingers in her mouth and sucked gently, tasting the juices coating them.

"Fuck, Brit. Jesus." Santana's voice sounded hot and wanting, even though she had just been thoroughly satisfied. She was aroused at the sight of the other girl tasting her juices from the fingers that had just fucked her. Brittany seemed to enjoy it, too. She moaned a little before slipping the fingers out from between her lips and smiled at Santana.

"I told you I wanted to taste you. And you taste really good." Santana's eyes widened and her breathing picked up. Brittany leaned over to whisper in her ear. "One day, Santana, you will let me make you come with my mouth. Just let me know when."

Santana's heart pounded and her eyes closed as Brittany kissed her cheek softly, settling down in her arms and laying her head on her shoulder to fall asleep. The brunette lay there for hours, long after she heard the blonde's breathing even out into sleep, mind racing but trying to skip over all of the things she didn't want to think too much about. She was glad she hadn't let Brittany go down on her yet, but she wasn't exactly sure why. She just had a feeling that there was something important she needed to do before they took that step. Santana didn't get much sleep that night at all.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I am really not too happy with how this chapter turned out. Junior year kind of sucked for these girls, and it was really hard for me to come up with good interaction between the two. I tried, but at least we are starting to get to the point where things really pick up for them.**

 **I am still kind of amazed that anyone is reading this, so thanks for to you all for taking the time to check my story out. And please review! Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions for me!**

Chapter 8

Junior year sucked so far for Santana. Quinn had told Coach Sue about her boob job and reclaimed her spot as Head Cheerio. Santana lost some status and had to endure more torture from Sue in the form of name calling and being demoted to the bottom of the pyramid. And Sue kept pushing the girls to spy on the glee club, so she tried getting in her good graces by continuing to provide intel to the crazy coach. She was freaking out and tried to regain some of her status the only way she knew how. She acted more slutty than ever, hinting at her promiscuity and hot body in order to try to show that she was wanted, and to make more people want her.

The week they did Britney Spears in glee club was fun, especially since Brittany gained some confidence in her performing and singing abilities. Not to mention that the fantasy she had under anesthesia was super hot. But she hadn't really hooked up with Puck since before her surgery, and Brittany seemed to think that their near exclusivity gave her the right to talk about their feelings and what their sweet lady kisses meant.

This caused Santana to panic because she didn't want to think about the meaning behind what they did together, and she definitely didn't want to think about what she felt for Brittany. She wasn't sure if she would have chosen Brittany to do a duet with even if she hadn't prodded her to talk about things, because she really wanted to win and Wheezy's voice blended well with hers. She loved singing with the dancer, but when Breadstix was involved she would do what it took to win.

She felt really bad though about hurting Brittany when she rejected being her duet partner, but the blonde really did freak her out with the hints about their relationship being more than just friends with benefits. And then she had to go and partner up with Artie and even start dating him. They didn't date people. That just wasn't them. She was so jealous that someone would take her place in the blonde's affections that she ripped them apart easily before it ever really even started.

Things with Brittany were okay for a little while after that, and their relationship seemed to go back to mostly normal. Santana knew Brittany was still hurt by what happened, but she was glad that Brittany seemed to know not to talk about their feelings again. Puck, however, was locked up and the only person Santana was still having sex with was Brittany. She didn't know what to do, because she really didn't want to start sleeping with other guys again but she was afraid her popularity was declining further as she started ignoring guys' attempts to make out at parties. Finally, Puck got out of juvie and she was glad she got a boy to hook up with again.

Unfortunately, her hooking up with Puck led to him getting Brittany and Artie back together. She knew that this time she wasn't going to get them broken up so easily, particularly since she was afraid that forcing them apart a second time would cause people to wonder why she was so adamant about them not being together. She wasn't even sure of all of the reasons why she didn't want them together. It also seemed to be understood between the dancer and her that their intimate moments would stop once Brittany got with Artie, and Santana didn't know how to handle that.

To make matters worse, Puck didn't seem that interested in hooking up with her anymore, and she tried to gain some control over Finn to maybe stop her spiral. Watching Kurt get bullied by Karofsky and then decide to transfer schools caused more chaos. Glee club was no longer a safe haven for her, as each week their status was up in their air with losing members and trying to find new members. And seeing Brittany sitting and cuddling with Artie in the choir room hurt worse. Glee club was no longer the best part of her day.

Brittany tried to keep their friendship the same after she started dating Artie. Getting a solo at Sectionals helped take her mind off of her problems, and she could act mostly normal around the blonde for a little while. Being able to dance with her and watch her shine on stage made her heart soar, and she was happy for her.

Santana tried her best to be there for her, but it hurt a lot to be separated that often from the girl who had been so close to her for over two years. They went from hanging out after school every day to seeing each other mostly just at school and practice. Texting or talking on the phone wasn't the same as the touches they had shared. And the brunette definitely didn't want to hear about her dates with Artie or what Artie did that was so nice or anything to do with Artie. Their conversations became harder to deal with, so she pulled away a bit.

Santana was lost without Brittany. She knew that the blonde was the most important person in her life, but she hadn't realized how utterly inept she would be at coping with her being in a relationship. She didn't know how to fix things in her life- her declining popularity, her lack of a romantic relationship, her loss of her best friend, and the realization that her best friend may mean more to her than she thought. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. And the more she began to realize that maybe she should have to start being honest with herself. She was just too scared right now. How do you deal with a problem when the only person you would talk to about it is part of the problem?

To complete her trek down the popularity ladder, Puck was completely lost to her as he became obsessed with that whale Lauren Zizes, and then the Unholy Trinity quit the Cheerios. Santana was really almost relieved about it, since Sue was even more insane than usual and was planning on shooting Brittany out of a cannon. Santana didn't even know how to help the blonde out of that situation, particularly since their relationship had altered in such a fundamental way and she didn't know how to interact around her that much anymore. She had promised to always have Brittany's back when it came to Sue, but she honestly didn't know what to do about it.

Thankfully, Finn gave them the kick in the pants they needed to choose glee over cheerleading. There was definite satisfaction that they screwed Sue over, which led to her first Regionals loss. Glee club made her happier than the Cheerios, but no longer being a Cheerio meant that she had very little confidence in her station at McKinley High.

Santana knew she needed something to bring her out of the funk she was in. She was glad when she noticed that Quinn was cheating on Sam with Frankenteen. She saw an opportunity to help herself by breaking them up and claiming Sam as her boyfriend. If Brittany was going to start dating someone, she needed to date someone too. She figured it might help her move on and act more normal.

Plus, she no longer had a regular hook up and needed someone to bring up her status. Sam seemed pretty easy to manipulate so she shouldn't have too many demands put on her in the relationship. In the end, it did help her begin to mend her relationship with the dancer, and they at least were on their way back to being just best friends again.

Then there was the Rachel Berry House Party Train Wreck Extravaganza during Alcohol Awareness Week. Watching Brittany dance with her unbuttoned while Santana was drunk did nothing to help quell the desire for the blonde girl that she had tried to push down during their rough time. Doing body shots off of the dancer's taut abs only made matters worse, as it reminded her of the times she would kiss and run her tongue over that stomach during their sweet lady kisses time. The party reminded her of the parties they had attended sophomore year, when they would make out with guys before going home together to touch each other throughout the night.

In fact, she got so worked up and possessive, particularly after watching Sam kiss Brittany, that she convinced Brittany to go home with her that night in order to rekindle their intimate relationship. It didn't take a lot of convincing, surprisingly, since Brittany seemed as worked up as she was. Santana gave her a bullshit line about it not being cheating since they were both girls, which she knew the other girl didn't really believe, but it gave them an excuse to do what they both wanted.

* * *

Santana walked away from the locker with tears streaming down her face. She had never felt worse in her life. Brittany had convinced her into talking to someone about their relationship because she was confused about it. Santana had honestly been confused about it, too. Brittany forcing her to think about her feelings over the past few months had led her to some realizations she really didn't want to find out. Talking to Ms. Holliday about everything made Santana finally admit to herself that she was a lesbian who was in love with her best friend.

She had slowly been thinking she may have real romantic feelings for Brittany starting last year, but every time she started getting too close to admitting it she would push everything aside and shut down. But now that the floodgates were open, there was no going back. Singing that song to the blonde in front of glee club may have helped her open up about her emotions, but it was a mistake. She was definitely not ready for anyone else to know about her sexual preferences, and she was afraid now that everyone would find out. The brunette tried explaining that to Brittany- that she wanted to be with her and only her, but that she didn't want to be public about it. But after admitting this to the other girl and confessing her love, she was now more miserable than she had ever been.

Brittany had rejected her. Brittany had chosen a cripple in a freaking wheelchair over her! Santana had thought that maybe, just _maybe_ , the blonde felt the same and would be willing to be with her. She thought that maybe Brittany would be willing to be patient and hide their relationship still while she gathered the courage to eventually come out. Brittany had seen how the rejects at McKinley bullied Kurt, and Santana didn't want to subject either of them to that kind of torture. But it didn't matter because the dancer didn't even want to be with her, because she loved someone else.

Now Santana was struggling to make it out to her car through the tears clouding her vision. She didn't dare look at anyone else in the hallway for fear that they would somehow know what happened. Brittany had tried to stop her and comfort her, but she couldn't do that anymore. She couldn't let the other girl close to her like that again. Not after her heart was just ripped out and crushed. She heard her phone go off with a text message notification, but she ignored it.

The brunette finally made it out to her car and got in the driver's seat where she proceeded to grab onto the steering wheel and lean her head against her hands while she sobbed. Once her tears ran out, she looked at her phone. It was a text from Brittany. She almost didn't read it, but it turned out she couldn't let go of the blonde completely. She opened the message.

 _I'm so sorry._ _Plz don't b mad._ _U know I'm always here 4 u._ _I hope I'm still ur best friend._ _I love you! - Brit_

Santana's heart hurt. She didn't want to lose her best friend, but she wasn't sure how to cope with being in love with her and still being her best friend. She put her phone back in her bag without replying and started her car. She was able to drive home without crying again. Thankfully her parents were both still at work when she got home, however, because the instant she got in the door she ran up to her room sobbing for all that had happened. She cried until she fell asleep.

When she woke up later, it was dark. She looked at the time on her phone and saw that it was just after 8pm. Her mom must have let her sleep, which she was grateful for. She opened her text messages and saw the last message from Brittany from this afternoon. She knew the blonde was hurting, too. Even if she rejected Santana, Brittany still cared about her and was sad about their situation. She decided to text back so the other girl wouldn't worry.

 _U r still my best friend._ _But I need some time to think about things._ _I'll c u 2mrw - Santana_

Brittany must have been waiting all evening for Santana to text her, because it was less than a minute before she received a reply.

 _Of course!_ _Sweet dreams :-)_ _–_ _Brit_


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So here is the last chapter of Part 3. Thus concludes Junior Year, and things are going to really start picking up in the next part with the girls.**

 **Thank you to everyone has been reviewing. I appreciate your kind words and thoughts! I hope everyone has been enjoying it, and thanks for all the follows, favorites, etc. Please feel free to let me know what you think!**

Chapter 9

Santana was a mess. Things were still tense between her and Brittany, and she missed her best friend. Even though the blonde had tried to keep communication open between them, Santana found herself withdrawing more. She spent less time with Brittany, and it hurt both of them. Some days, the only real interaction between the two of them was in glee club.

They had defeated the Warblers and won Regionals. Nationals were coming up, and they had a shot at winning if they could all work together like never before. That's why she came up with the idea to bring Kurt back to McKinley. She knew it would help get her into everyone's good graces if she could get him back, and that would help boost her popularity and maybe help her win prom queen. Then it might get Brittany to notice her again. If the other girl started to pay more attention to her instead of Artie, then she may just be able to steal her away from him.

It could not have been more perfect when Santana realized that Karofsky was gay. It gave her the perfect plan: blackmail Karofsky into apologizing and helping bring Kurt back, have him run as prom king to her queen, and when they won he could continue hiding in his closet while she got her girl. She didn't even care enough about Sam to dump him before she started fake-dating Karofsky. At least she didn't have to worry about making out with guys anymore with him as her beard. She almost felt bad for him as afraid as he was, but then she thought about how he treated Kurt and figured he deserved to be forced into her plan.

The t-shirt assignment for glee club didn't go as well as she hoped since Brittany tried to get her to wear that "Lebanese" shirt in front of everyone. She was pretty sure the blonde mixed up the words on purpose this time so Santana could take a baby step into being open about her sexuality, but with Brittany one could never be 100% positive. Still, she hated that the other girl kept trying to push her out of the closet when she didn't give her a reason to be. She would maybe work towards being out if Brittany would be with her, but after being rejected she wasn't sure if she could handle it.

Brittany got upset after they argued over the shirt, so she wore it in the back of the auditorium while the other kids performed so at least she could tell the dancer she did wear it for her. She took a picture of her wearing it and texted it to Brittany so the blonde would see. Brittany told her she was proud of her for putting it on, but that she wished she could have worn it on stage with everyone. Santana kind of wished she could have, too, but she was just not ready.

Then Brittany went and told everyone that Santana "played for the other team" on her insane web-show and caused the school paper to start a rumor that she was gay. This was the exact thing she was trying to avoid happening. She did _not_ want people whispering about her behind her back, and she definitely didn't want anyone to know she was a lesbian yet.

She wasn't naïve enough to believe that some people hadn't figured it out already. Santana figured that Quinn already knew since she and Brittany made out enough at Cheerios sleepovers in the past. She figured someone had to have heard or seen something at one of those. She also knew that Rachel had probably figured it out since her dads were gay and she made that Sapphic comment after Santana had sang that song with Brittany and Ms. Holliday in glee club. And if Kurt didn't at least suspect, then something was wrong with his gaydar. Now, after this rumor going around, talk would spread and more people who had suspected what was going on would probably know for sure.

Things had started getting better between the two girls since Santana had worn the shirt, but now she freaked out on the blonde after the rumors began. Brittany told her that what she said wasn't what everyone was interpreting it to be, but she wasn't sure she believed her or if it was another way to push Santana out of the closet. The brunette's reaction probably just made things worse for herself, but she couldn't help but freak out. Her life felt like it was out of her control.

When Brittany came running to her for comfort after Artie called her stupid and they broke up, Santana's heart started to mend. She thought that maybe they could start working their way back to each other and they could be together. She gave Brittany a shoulder to cry on and reiterated to the blonde that she was indeed smart. She wanted to make her feel better and take a step toward starting a relationship and that is why she decided to sing her a love song in private. By confessing her love to the dancer through song again, she hoped that maybe she could get Brittany to agree to be with her. She was excited when Brittany invited her to prom and said she wanted to go with the dancer, and she thought for a little while that she could really do it.

But instead of getting ready to go over to tape "Fondue for Two" with the girl she loved in order to agree to go to prom with her when Brittany asked, Santana was sitting in her room. She had been arguing with herself for the last hour over whether or not she should go. She wanted to be with Brittany so badly, but she was still so afraid. She thought she could do it if Brittany went first, that she might have the courage if someone other than her said it before she did.

Then she thought about Kurt and how he got bullied for being out. Even though most of the bullying came from a kid who was closeted and afraid, the rest of the school wasn't much better. She figured she could handle taunts to the face, but she couldn't fight what people said behind her back. That is why she couldn't go. She was going to stick with her original plan and go with Karofsky. Maybe if she won prom queen, she could get the school to accept her and maybe her popularity would eventually let everyone get comfortable enough that she could come out without fear of what everyone would say.

Mind made up, she picked up her phone. Her heart was racing with nerves. Santana knew that Brittany would be upset with her. She didn't want to hurt her, but she was too scared.

 _I can't_ _–_ _Santana_

She sent the text with tears rolling down her cheeks. She wished she could be brave enough. She wished she could come out and be with Brittany. She wished she had the courage to not care what everyone thought about her. She wished that she would someday get rid of the constant ache that had taken up space in her chest.

* * *

This had to be the worst prom ever in Santana's opinion. McKinley High's students yet again never failed to disappoint her in how cruel they could be. She got her hopes up when Karofsky was named king. She thought she had finally been accepted by her peers, that she had finally been the number one girl for once. She was hoping that she could stop fighting for acceptance for a little while, because she had an entire future to look forward to of facing discrimination and hate just for loving who she did. She shouldn't have been surprised when her name wasn't called for queen. She shouldn't have been surprised that her asshole peers voted Kurt as prom queen. It just further proved why her decision to not come out was a good one.

It didn't mean it still didn't hurt.

Of course Brittany found her when she ran off to cry. Brittany was always there for her. Even after she treated the blonde like shit for bailing on her for prom and by claiming she was in love with Karofsky in front of her when Brittany knew who it was Santana really loved. Her best friend never failed to show up when she needed her.

Brittany helped her calm down and realize that maybe she needed to start learning not to hide so much. If the most beautiful girl in the world could see the deepest, darkest part of her and still believe in her, then maybe others could as well. She hoped that she could start living up to what Brittany wanted her to be. Santana could begin by working on mending her broken relationship with the blonde.

Santana saw her dancing in a group with Mike, Tina, Sam, and Mercedes. She looked so happy with them, and it made her smile. She approached the group and got Brittany's attention. She motioned for the blonde to come with her over to a quiet corner of the gym. Once they got there, Santana turned to the other girl, nervous. She licked her lips as her eyes darted to the side quickly, before looking back to concerned looking blue eyes.

"I just wanted to thank you for what you said before. And for helping me through my little breakdown." She gave a little laugh. Brittany gave her a small smile that quickly faded back into a concerned look before grabbing her hand.

"You don't need to thank me. You know I am here for you no matter what. Are you doing okay?"

Santana nodded. "Yeah, I really am feeling a lot better. Thanks to you." She smiled then, and swung the blonde's hand playfully.

"I'm glad." Brittany smiled back.

"Look, Brit. I know things haven't been so great between us lately, and it is mostly my fault. I didn't know how to deal with a lot of stuff, but I am starting to get through it. I…" She stopped, nervously looking down before looking back at the other girl. "I miss you."

Brittany smiled again, although a little sadly. "I miss you, too."

"Do you want to spend the night at my house tonight? I mean, not in that way… Just spend the night and sleep. It's just that… I mean, Dave ran off and you don't have anyone to go home with and-" God, she was rambling like an idiot.

"Santana." Brittany interrupted and made sure she got the brunette's full attention before continuing. "Yes, I would like to spend the night at your house. It would be nice to be able to hang out with you again."

Santana's face bloomed into a full grin. Brittany returned her smile, and adjusted her hand in Santana's to link their pinkies together.

They left the prom shortly after that to head to Santana's house. They drove in relative silence and went up to prepare for bed. It was a comfortable silence, however. They were happy just being in each other's company for the time being, without words. There were still a lot of things they needed to work out between them, but they were making a start. Once they got under the covers of Santana's bed facing each other, Brittany kissed the brunette's cheek softly before withdrawing to her own pillow.

"Goodnight, Santana," she whispered.

"Goodnight, BritBrit." Santana grabbed Brittany's hand and weaved their fingers together. They fell asleep quickly, hands clasped together, content.

* * *

They lost Nationals. That little hobbit, Berry, and Lumps the Clown kissed on stage in front of _everyone_ and it naturally turned the judges' stomachs.

The trip to New York was fun to begin with, and Santana and Brittany got to explore the city together with the other glee kids. It was cool writing more original songs, and Brittany's "My Cup" was enough to send Santana into giggles while everyone else was lost with the dancer's song. She and Brittany helped Quinn through her little breakdown, and helped the Unholy Trinity kind of reconnect.

Santana knew that she and Brittany still had a lot to work through, but things were slowly getting better. They were talking and texting every day again, and they both volunteered to share a space on the floor of the hotel room. Mostly because they didn't want to share a bed with anyone else, and they had more privacy to cuddle on the floor in between the bed and the wall. She felt that this trip was going to be great for her and for them, and for the glee club.

And then it wasn't. Santana was ready to go all Lima Heights on the hobbit after she found out what happened, but she was unfortunately stopped. The whole plane ride home was tense and uncomfortable, even with Brittany laying her head on Santana's shoulder while she slept.

The end of school finally arrived, and Brittany made Santana realize that the glee club really is her family, no matter how much they got on her nerves sometimes. And Brittany confessed that she loved Santana more than she had loved anyone else in the world. It made Santana's heart soar, even though she knew they still had a lot to figure out. As they walked down the hallway, pinkies linked together, she thought they just might finally be on the right path.

"Do you think that we will ever get back to where we were before with us?"

Santana was startled by the question from the blonde girl. She thought for a second that the other girl could read her mind, but then just remembered that Brittany knew her mind better than anyone and figured that is what Santana was probably thinking about. The brunette was quiet for a moment as she thought.

"I think we will. But, Brit, I don't want to just get back to where we were. I want to get somewhere even better." She looked at Brittany sincerely.

The dancer smiled at her, an excited look in her eye. "Is it somewhere that has cotton candy clouds and we can ride unicorns and Lord Tubbington has finally quit smoking and-"

"BritBrit!" Santana laughed, cutting her friend off and causing her to giggle with her. She stopped the other girl and turned to face her fully, hoping that her next words would be received well. "I meant I want us to be more than we were before. I want us to be together, Brit. I know we have a lot of stuff to figure out, but I want us to get to a point where I can call you my girlfriend. And I hope that you want to call me your girlfriend, too."

Brittany smiled at her, a soft, sweet expression on her face. "I knew what you meant, Santana. And I want what you want, but I am willing to go at whatever pace you need. I promise, I will wait however long you need until you're ready. I will wait for you."

Santana felt tears come to her eyes but took a deep breath to keep them at bay. She started to feel that ache that had become so constant in her chest start to ease. She let out her breath slowly and looked back into loving blue eyes. She knew now that the look she had seen so many times before in Brittany's eyes was a look of love, but she only hadn't seen it before.

Or she hadn't wanted to see it.

But she could see it now, and she knew that they were going to get to where they needed to be someday.

"Thank you," she said quietly. They smiled at each other, and Brittany started swinging their linked pinkies slightly as they turned to continue walking out of the school. Summer was waiting for them, and it held so many promises.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Here is the beginning of Senior Year, when things really start to get interesting (at least in my opinion). The chapters should start getting a bit longer now, so hopefully that is a good thing. Also, this chapter is pretty much just sexy times, but it is important, so I hope you all enjoy ;)**

 **Also, I just wanted to say that I started writing this story because I was looking for something to help me when I was feeling depressed and lonely. You have no idea how much it means to me that people are actually taking the time to read this and follow, favorite, or review. Please feel free to continue to leave your thoughts, comments, recommendations, jokes, or whatever with a review or even through a message. They really help to brighten my day.**

 **I hope you like this chapter.**

Part 4- Senior Year 2011-2012

Chapter 10

Senior year was proving to be a roller coaster. Santana and Brittany had a relatively quiet summer. Santana shocked the blonde by asking her to rejoin the Cheerios with her. She explained that she wanted them to experience everything they could in high school, and winning two national titles in the same year would help cap off an amazing senior year before graduation. To her surprise, Brittany readily agreed. It also helped that Sue practically begged them to come back to the squad since the Cheerios got beaten so badly at Regionals after they had quit last year.

They spent most of the summer doing cheer camp and practices and spending their time together getting back to being comfortable just being in each other's presence. They didn't go to a lot of parties, and when they did it was often with glee kids or they usually left early on. Spending time at one another's houses became commonplace again, and sleepovers ended up with the girls cuddling in bed. Slowly, they worked their way up to chaste kisses, which soon after became passionate kisses. By mid-summer they had gotten back to hot make-out sessions. Santana was afraid to go too fast, but Brittany never pushed her. She kept her promise and let Santana do things in her own time.

They had sex again for the first time right after the start of school. Santana never knew it could be like that. She kept her eyes open now, and watching Brittany while she touched the blonde was the best thing she could imagine. Watching while Brittany touched her was almost as good, as she saw how much love and adoration the blonde had as Brittany gave her pleasure. They shared words of love during these times, and Santana thought her heart would explode from all of the good feelings collecting in her chest now because it couldn't possibly hold it all. She knew now what it felt like to actually make love to someone.

Things were a little rough at the start of school. Santana and Brittany tried to help Quinn out of whatever funk she was in and get her to rejoin the Cheerios with them, but she refused. Then Sue blackmailed Santana into sabotaging the glee club again, which caused Santana to get kicked out by Mr. Schue. She hurt so badly when he told her to leave because she felt like they were rejecting her, but thankfully Brittany came over after school to convince her to apologize and commit her loyalty to the glee club.

Santana didn't even want to take down the glee club anymore, because for some reason she loved it and those losers she sang with. What Sue didn't know wouldn't hurt her, and it wasn't hard to convince Mr. Schue to let her back in. She got named co-captain of the Cheerios with Becky Jackson, which was both a boost and a hit to her ego. But whatever, she was still a captain.

Then Mercedes wanted to leave New Directions because she wasn't getting enough solos, and she wanted Santana to join the new girl only group that Ms. Corcoran was leading. Santana was highly tempted to join in order to be a featured performer, but she wouldn't join without Brittany. She promised Wheezy to try to get both of them to leave New Directions together, so she hoped she could convince the blonde to come with her. And Santana was definitely looking forward to performing in West Side Story, since it was a role that could really showcase her talents.

Santana and Brittany's relationship was improving day by day. Brittany was so patient with her, and Santana did everything she could to encourage the dancer the way the blonde had encouraged her. When Kurt trashed Brittany's presidential campaign posters she had made for him, Santana told her that she was the real unicorn and she should run for Student Council President. She was so glad when the other girl took her advice and started gaining confidence in her intelligence and her ability to do whatever she put her mind to. The only problem was that Santana still didn't know exactly where they were as far as their relationship was concerned.

They were kind of back to where they were before the whole Artie situation, with the drastic difference being that they knew their feelings and said "I love you" without hesitation. But neither of them had defined whether or not they were actually dating and if they were girlfriends. She was nervous that Brittany was fine with the way things were and that she didn't want to be her girlfriend.

But when they were out at Breadstix and Brittany was looking so beautiful across the table from her, she just had to know. When Brittany said she thought they had been dating for awhile, it made her the happiest she had felt that she could ever remember. Holding hands with her girlfriend, even under a napkin, was something she never thought she could get to even six months ago. And now she had it. She knew this night would be one of the most special nights of her life, and she knew how to make it even more special for the two of them.

Santana drove Brittany to her house after their dinner, lacing their fingers together for the ride. Her parents were out of town for a medical conference her father needed to attend, so the house was empty. It was a school night, but she had told Brittany to plan on sleeping over after dinner anyways. It wasn't unusual that they had sleepovers on school nights. She was still nervous, and she knew Brittany could tell something was up, but she didn't say anything. She just rubbed her thumb over the back of Santana's hand and smiled at her as she drove.

Once they got to the Lopez abode, the girls quietly entered, Santana leading Brittany by the hand through the house and up the stairs into her bedroom. She turned the light on and closed the door behind them, never letting go of her lover's hand. Santana led the blonde to the end of her bed, where Brittany dropped her overnight bag. Brittany remained quiet, watching the brunette as she turned to her with a loving look.

Santana released Brittany's hand to run it up her arm as she stepped closer to the other girl. Once her hand got to the dancer's shoulder, she brought both hands up to the back of Brittany's head to remove the blonde tresses from its binding. Once the hair band was removed, Santana ran her fingers through the golden strands, brown eyes locking onto blue. She tried to convey all of the feelings she had for the girl before her through her eyes. She saw Brittany's eyes soften and she knew the other girl got her message.

She pulled Brittany's head towards hers to guide their lips into a soft kiss. Santana felt the light meeting of their mouths, barely brushing her lips against her lover's before bringing them back together in a more substantial caress. Brittany's hands went to Santana's hips as she let out a shaky breath into the brunette's mouth. Santana's heart was racing, her breathing picking up as the blonde responded to her kiss. She tilted her head to deepen the kiss, mouths clashing together as passions grew. She traced her tongue against the dancer's lips, asking for entrance.

Her tongue greedily sought out her lover's as Brittany's mouth opened for her, and their tongues slid slowly against one another. Santana moaned, tangling the fingers of her right hand in blonde locks while her left went to undo the zipper of the other girl's cheerleading top. Brittany slipped out of the top once the zipper was down, and the brunette quickly went to remove her bra. Brittany soon stood in front of her topless, and Santana brought their mouths crashing back together. She couldn't resist bringing her hands around to cup the blonde's bare breasts, gently grazing her thumbs over hardened nipples. Brittany broke their kiss on a gasp, and Santana opened her eyes to see the other girl bite her lip in pleasure.

Santana swiftly moved to divest the blonde of the rest of her clothing, and Brittany kicked off her shoes and removed her socks as she stepped out of her skirt and undergarments. Both girls made quick work of the brunette's outfit and Santana let her hair loose. It was a mere moment before they were completely naked. Santana couldn't help but take in the sight of the blonde's beautiful form, making her way slowly up to Brittany's face. She watched as Brittany's eyes danced over her body, lust and love clear in her gaze.

"You are so beautiful."

Brittany's voice finally broke the long silence between them, spurring Santana into motion. She grabbed her lover by the waist, guiding her to lie down on the bed. As she scooted up toward the head of the bed, Santana crawled up, straddling the blonde as she moved her body over Brittany's. She moaned in pleasure as she brought their bodies into contact, breasts pressing together and her center coming into contact with Brittany's mound.

She brought her mouth back to the dancer's, needing that extra closeness between them. They kissed deeply as Brittany ran her hands restlessly along Santana's back, finally cupping her ass and squeezing gently. The brunette rocked her hips at the action, leaving her wetness on the blonde's skin.

She moved her mouth from Brittany's, trailing kisses down her jaw before moving down to kiss and place gentle bites to her neck. The dancer's hands squeezed her ass harder as she rolled her hips up into Santana and moaned. Brittany's head arched back to give the brunette better access as she continued to nip and place soothing kisses and licks down her lover's supple neck. Santana was so turned on right now, and she knew she wouldn't be able to wait much longer. She moved down Brittany's neck, licking and kissing her way down between the blonde's breasts.

Santana shifted her weight to support herself with her right arm so she could bring her left hand up to massage one of Brittany's breasts while she moved to take the other into her mouth. She nipped the soft mound lightly, pressing soft kisses as Brittany arched her back and moved her hands to tangle into Santana's hair, pressing her breasts closer to the brunette. Santana gently grazed her teeth over the erect nipple before sucking it hard into her mouth while her hand pinched and rolled the blonde's other nipple.

"Unnggh, God!" Brittany panted, hands clenching in dark locks and pulling slightly. The tugs hurt a little, but they sent shivers of pleasure through Santana at the same time.

Santana released Brittany's breast from her mouth and trailed more kisses down her ribs and abdomen. Brittany's abs rippled as she moved further down, placing kisses along the dancer's hipbone. She heard a sharp intake of breath from the blonde before she felt fingers under her chin, stopping her progress and causing her to look up into her lover's eyes.

"Are you sure?" Brittany's voice was husky with desire, and Santana knew then that she couldn't be more sure of what she was doing at that moment. As much as Brittany clearly wanted this, she was willing to give it up if Santana wasn't ready.

"Absolutely. I want to make you come with my mouth."

Santana felt Brittany shudder at the words and watched as her eyes closed and she bit her lip on a soft whimper. Her fingers released the brunette's chin, allowing her mouth to immediately head down to press quick kisses down the dancer's hip as she shifted further down her body. Brittany's legs parted to allow her to position herself in between the dancer's toned thighs.

Santana could smell Brittany's arousal, and it was making her even more turned on than she already was. If she needed any further confirmation that she was a lesbian, she had it now based on how much she wanted to taste the wetness coating the blonde's sex. Her heart was pounding, both with nerves at what she was about to do and with arousal.

She had never done anything this intimate before. Sure, she had given blow jobs, but she never liked it and didn't really care about how she made the guy feel. She just did it because it was expected of her. She definitely wanted this, though, and cared enough to want to make this one of the best things Brittany ever experienced. Santana kissed her way up Brittany's thigh before placing a tentative lick through her lover's slick folds.

"Uhhhg! Santana!"

Brittany cried out as her head tipped back and her hips rolled up, seeking more contact with Santana's mouth. The brunette happily obliged, running her tongue harder over the blonde's sex, exploring with her mouth and enjoying the flavor of her lover's juices. She knew that the taste of Brittany was something she would never get enough of.

Brittany tangled the fingers of one hand through Santana's hair, gently holding the brunette's mouth to her while her other hand went up to bury in her own hair. She was panting hard, letting out whimpers on each exhale that kept getting louder as Santana concentrated her attention on the blonde's clit.

Santana had never seen Brittany look more sexy than she was at this moment, lying completely open and vulnerable to her. The dancer's hips started to grind against her mouth, and Santana laid an arm across them to hold them in place. She watched as Brittany forced her head up and met Santana's dark eyes with her half-lidded blue ones. The brunette sucked her clit into her mouth and flicked her tongue harder across it.

"So good, so good…" Brittany's whimpers were turning into moans, and Santana could tell she was getting close. She wanted to prolong this, though, so she stopped sucking and gentled her tongue, moving it to explore around the blonde's entrance. She dipped her tongue in and was rewarded with a groan from her lover. She explored inside with her tongue, causing the dancer to writhe under her mouth.

Santana pressed her legs together to try and relieve some of the pressure building in her own core, and she moaned into Brittany's center. The vibrations caused another groan from the other girl as her brow furrowed signaling she was getting close again. Santana moved her tongue back up to lick gentle circles around her swollen clit but not quite touching it, making her grunt in frustration. The brunette smirked a little, and then their eyes locked again. Brittany brought the hand tangled in Santana's hair up to grab at the hand the brunette was using to hold her hips in place and laced their fingers together, gripping tightly.

"I love you, Santana."

Santana's heart soared at the words. She brought her other hand from Brittany's thigh to slide a finger inside of her as she wrapped her mouth around her clit again and moved her flattened tongue against it.

"Sant-naaa!" Brittany's eyes rolled up as she threw her head back and her back arched up hard, thrusting her hips up into Santana's mouth as she clamped down around the brunette's finger. Her breath caught, fingers tightening on Santana's hand and in her own hair, body shuddering as she rode out her orgasm. Santana gentled her tongue and slowly slipped her finger out as the blonde's body settled back on the bed. She placed a final kiss to her sex causing a twitch before she moved back up her lover's body, kissing her shoulders and neck while Brittany's breathing calmed.

Finally, Brittany turned to cup her face and bring their mouths together, and Santana knew the blonde could taste herself on her lips.

"That. Was. Incredible," she said, kissing the brunette in between words before pressing their mouths together hard. Santana moaned into the kiss, more turned on after Brittany's incredibly powerful release than she was before.

Brittany quickly rolled them over, positioning herself over Santana and deepening the kiss. Their tongues caressed each other briefly before the blonde quickly broke it. She placed quick kisses on her way down Santana's chest and abdomen, trying to make it to her goal as if she was afraid the brunette would back out. Santana parted her legs eagerly to help her on her way.

She was more than ready for this now. She had fantasized a lot about going down on Brittany, and it was more incredible than she had imagined. She never realized how aroused tasting the other girl's juices would make her. But as many times as she thought about making the blonde come with her mouth, she thought about Brittany going down on her more. After that one night when she almost let her do it, she thought about it like crazy.

She had never opened herself up like this to anyone before, but she knew she could finally do this with Brittany. She could make them closer than ever before by making herself vulnerable in this way. She knew it was time, and Brittany was the one for her.

Santana's breathing was already rapid, and she knew she wouldn't last long once Brittany started. The blonde settled between her legs and looked up at her as if she was waiting for permission. Santana gave a quick nod.

"Please, Brit." She barely had any breath before Brittany's mouth descended to her folds, and she lost it all once she felt her lover's tongue run the length of her sex. Her eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped as she finally gasped in air on a ragged breath.

"Oohhhh, Brittany," she breathed out. She never knew it would be this good. Her imagination couldn't even compare to the reality. Her hips immediately started rocking against Brittany's mouth, causing the blonde to grip her hips to hold her to better control the contact. Her lover explored her folds with her tongue, taking her time.

"You taste really good, baby," she moaned into Santana's core before thrusting her tongue up inside.

"Ungh, Brit! Please!" Santana forced herself to look down at what the blonde was doing to her, and it was so hot. They had only just started, but she knew she wouldn't last much longer. "Brit… I- I'm gonna…"

Brittany shifted her eyes up to look at Santana's face and their eyes locked again. Santana saw the love again in the blonde's eyes as she moved her mouth up quickly to suck her clit, causing her to tumble over the edge rapidly. She grabbed at the sheets, back arching and hips rocking as she cried out in ecstasy. Santana forced her eyes to stay open while she watched her love continue to tongue her gently as she came.

Once her body started to come back down, Brittany slid two fingers into her and tongued her clit hard again. Santana screamed out something resembling her girlfriend's name as her body tensed even harder and longer than before. Her eyes rolled back and her stomach tensed, causing her body to curl up with the force of contraction. Brittany finally gentled her movements as Santana's body relaxed before sliding her fingers out and moving her mouth away from the brunette's core. She pressed kisses to Santana's thigh while Santana's breathing slowly returned to normal.

She had never felt anything that amazing before. She suddenly realized she had tears on her cheeks, and her breathing had turned into soft cries. Brittany moved up to kiss at her cheeks and lips, wiping away the tears as her crying eased.

"Santana?" Concerned blue eyes met tearful brown ones.

Santana brought her hands up to brush back the blonde tresses falling into her face and cup Brittany's cheeks. She smiled softly up at her, eyes dancing over the features of the girl who held her heart before returning to gaze lovingly into her eyes.

"I love you so, so much, Brittany. I don't know what I did to deserve someone so beautiful and amazing in my life. You make me so happy." The words were spoken quietly, but they resonated powerfully. Brittany's face quickly softened, and she smiled down at her before placing a gentle kiss to her lips. She pulled back a little to look into her eyes again.

"I love you, too, Santana. You are the amazing one. And I could not be happier with you. I want to make you happy forever." Brittany's hand caressed Santana's cheek as they gazed lovingly at each other. Then a hesitant look came over the blonde's face. "Are you sure that was okay, though? I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?"

"BritBrit, that was beyond amazing. _You_ were _amazing_. I have never felt anything more incredible in my life!"

Brittany grinned, causing Santana to grin back. The blonde leaned down to place playful pecks around the brunette's mouth making them giggle, before Santana wrapped her arms around her pulling her in for a real kiss. They rolled onto their sides, kissing lazily as their hands lightly caressed available skin. Their bodies settled slowly as they became sleepy. Santana grabbed the bed sheets and covered them both, snuggling down with her head on the blonde's arm. As she started drifting into sleep, she felt Brittany's lips press a kiss against her forehead. She fell to sleep in her girlfriend's arms with a smile on her face.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. Some drama and some fluff. Let me know what you think! Again, I appreciate the follows and favorites, but I particularly appreciate your reviews! They mean more to me than you can imagine!**

 **I also have to say that there is one thing that annoyed the crap out of me about Glee, and that was that they acted like every city in Ohio was right next to Lima. For instance, the town of Westerville (home of the fictional Dalton Academy) is over an hour and a half away from Lima, yet the McKinley kids and Dalton kids were always hanging out together in Lima (which would never happen since Westerville is a suburb of Columbus and has waaaaay more things to do, with really upscale shopping malls and restaurants and all like 20 minutes away or less). So I kind of bring that up in this chapter just because it annoyed me (I lived in Westerville for a long time, so it kind of bothered me more than it should).**

Chapter 11

Santana ran through the hallways sobbing. She needed to find Brittany. The Troubletones were getting ready to perform their mash-up, so she knew she could find her girlfriend in the changing rooms near the auditorium. She just needed to get there fast.

She burst through the doors, startling the other girls.

"Santana?" Mercedes started towards her, concerned. Santana just shook her head and held her arm out to ward her off.

"Brit… I-" Her voice broke on another sob. She walked further into the room, searching for her girlfriend.

"Santana? What's going on?" Brittany's voice caused her to sob harder. She turned and ran to the blonde, throwing herself into her arms as she shook. The taller girl's arms wrapped around her, hugging her into her chest.

"He t-tol-" She couldn't finish through her tears.

"Come on, let's go somewhere you can calm down a bit." Brittany guided her slowly out of the room and down the hall. She took them into an empty classroom, never removing her arms from around the brunette. Brittany closed the door and brought them down to sit against the wall, pulling Santana into her lap and rocking her while she fought through her tears.

"Shhh- it's okay. It's going to be okay." Santana rested her head on the blonde's shoulder as she continued to cry. Brittany pressed kisses into Santana's hair while she comforted her girlfriend. Eventually, the brunette's sobs slowed.

"Santana, honey. It's going to be okay. You're kind of scaring me, sweetie. Tell me what happened, please." Brittany's voice sounded on the verge of tears. She looked up at her girlfriend and saw that she was doing her best to be strong for her, just like Santana knew she would.

"Someone heard… Finn the… other day. Sue's rival is… running a com- commercial… outing me. Everyone… is going to… to see it!" Santana was able to get the words out through her tears. She ducked her head back to the blonde's shoulder and felt Brittany's arms tighten around her and more kisses to her hair as she cried.

"It's going to be okay, I promise. We can deal with this. I know this isn't how you wanted to come out, but if we start telling your family and stuff first then we can control this. We can do this, honey. I've got you. I've always got you. I love you so much."

Brittany was rambling, but they were words meant to comfort and provide a solution. Santana started to calm down, as she knew only Brittany could help her do. Her crying finally eased and she pulled back to look at her girlfriend again.

"I love you, too. Will you really help me?"

Brittany cupped Santana's face and searched her eyes. "Of course I will. We will figure this out together."

There was a light knock on the door and the girls turned to see Mercedes take a tentative step in the room.

"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, but… is she going to be okay?" Mercedes asked Brittany.

"It's okay, Mercedes. I don't think she should perform tonight, though."

"Uh-uh, no way." Santana shook her head. "No one is taking this away from me, too. I am going out on that stage." She was adamant about it. She needed some control over her life.

"Are you sure?" Brittany searched her face, concerned.

Santana nodded. "Absolutely. If I can't get on with normal life after just finding out about the commercial, then how will I be able to deal with it when it actually gets out and everyone knows?"

Brittany studied her for a minute before nodding. "Okay." She turned to Mercedes again. "Just give us a couple more minutes and we'll be there."

Mercedes nodded and left the room. Brittany helped wipe Santana's face free of tears and streaked mascara before they headed back to get ready to face the world.

* * *

Everything had been going pretty well. Despite some minor issues, such as some douchebags at school who thought they could change her along with the annoying losers in the glee club trying to shove their noses into her business and trying to force her to talk about everything, things had gone better than she expected. She had figured some people at school already knew. I mean, if Lumps had figured it out, then it wouldn't have been too hard for most everyone else. Particularly the other glee kids since she knew she hadn't been very hands off with Brittany in the choir room before they even started dating.

She was positive that Quinn knew (especially with what she said at Nationals), as well as Rachel and Artie. She was also pretty sure Lady Hummel and Blaine had figured it out, too. She thought that most of the rest of them and Mr. Schuester had suspected something was going on as well. If that many people knew or suspected, then word probably would have gotten around school. Due to the fact that everyone knew how close she and Brittany were, and that they used to make out at parties, it would make sense that people would have gotten an idea of what was going on.

But now that everyone at school actually _knew_ , things weren't so bad. Her friends gathered around her for support and defended her against the assholes who said stupid shit to her. Their concern for her well being throughout the whole ordeal was nice to see, even if they were annoyingly in her face about it sometimes. Santana even had to admit that it was nice of Finn to try to make amends for the whole incident, and for not getting her into trouble for slapping him. She wasn't going to do anything to hurt herself, especially since she had Brittany in her life, but it was nice to see that everyone cared what happened to her.

Brittany and Santana had come up with a plan to tell her family. Brittany was already pretty open about her sexuality before, so the blonde was comfortable telling her own parents about their relationship. But Santana had kept her sexuality a secret for so long that she didn't know how her family would react. The dancer offered to be with Santana when she told her family, but the brunette wanted to do it alone just in case it didn't go well. She had been so nervous to come out to her parents, but she was relieved when they accepted her announcement with little pause. They were definitely surprised, but they told her that they loved her no matter what. They also told her that they were happy that she had such a good relationship with Brittany. They weren't happy about the whole thing with the commercial, but apparently they couldn't do anything about it from a legal standpoint.

Since things had been going relatively well, particularly after she officially came out to her parents, she thought it might not be as terrible as she had always feared. Then she talked to her abuela, and everything she had feared reared its ugly head. One of the most important people in her life, one of the people she loved the most in the world, rejected her and threw her out of her life just because Santana was gay. She was beyond devastated. There was only one place she wanted to go after her abuela disowned her.

So she drove to Brittany's house, tears continuing to fall down her face. Once she got to her girlfriend's house, she practically ran to the door and knocked continuously until Whitney opened it. The older woman noticed Santana's tears right away and motioned her in the house.

"Santana, honey, what's the matter?"

Santana was unable to come up with any words to explain, so she just shook her head at the woman. Then she noticed her girlfriend coming down the stairs.

"Santana? What happened? Are you okay?" Brittany hurried to the brunette's side, concern evident on her face. Santana pulled the dancer into her arms so she could bury her face in her shoulder.

"Sweetie, why don't you take her upstairs so you can talk. I'll make sure your father doesn't bother you." Whitney rubbed Santana's back comfortingly before the girls went up to Brittany's room.

Once they got to the blonde's room, she shut the door to give them some privacy from her family and guided them to the bed. They lay down, Brittany pulling Santana into her arms so the brunette could lay her head on her shoulder while she calmed down.

"What happened, hon? Did you tell your abuela?" Brittany asked quietly once Santana's tears had slowed.

"She kicked me out, Brit. She told me that it would have been better had I never said anything and kept it all a secret. But since I told her, she wants nothing to do with me anymore." Santana's tears had started giving way to anger.

"I'm so sorry, baby." Brittany pressed a kiss to Santana's forehead, squeezing her tighter in her arms. "I'm sure she will come around someday. I mean, how could anyone not want you in their life?"

Santana pulled away to sit up and look at her girlfriend. "Thanks, Brit, but I don't think she is going to come around. She was a total bitch to me. If she wants nothing to do with me, then I want nothing to do with her!"

"Santana, don't say that. I know you love her." She grabbed the brunette's hand, squeezing comfortingly.

"I do love her, but she apparently doesn't love me." Santana was starting to get really angry now. "How could she do that? How could anyone who claims to love a person just eliminate them from their life like that, just because they don't agree on something?"

"I don't know. I am not smart enough to figure out why anyone could do something like that. No, let me finish." Santana had opened her mouth to interrupt and say that Brittany was super smart, but then closed it quickly at the blonde's abrupt words. "I know it hurts right now, but you have so many people around you who _do_ love you and care for you. I know _I_ love you more than anything, so it really makes no sense to me how she could do that. But you know what? It is her loss. If she can't see how amazing you are, then that is sad for her. I think that in a few years she will realize what a mistake she made. But for now, just concentrate on the fact that you are surrounded by people who love you and want you to be a part of their lives."

Santana's anger subsided at her girlfriend's words. She was still hurt by her grandmother's actions, but she saw that she still had a lot to be grateful for. The biggest of which was the beautiful girl in front of her.

"You are the smartest, BritBrit. I really don't know what I would do without you." She smiled at the blonde, who grinned back.

"I don't know what you would do, either. Probably Puck," she joked.

Santana groaned and rolled her eyes. "Ugh, don't make me think about it. I would much rather think about you."

Brittany laughed and pulled her in for a peck. "I would rather you think about me, too. I love you."

"I love you, too." She pulled the blonde in for a hug, relishing in the feel of the girl in her arms. She would never get enough of being with Brittany, and she didn't want to imagine a time where they couldn't be together. Brittany never failed to guide her when she needed it. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Santana tightened her arms around the other girl, never wanting to let go.

* * *

The year continued on its roller coaster path for Santana. Her relationship with Brittany was never better. She was so happy to be able to be open about her feelings for her girlfriend and not have to hide anymore about who she was and who she loved. And the highs of her romantic life were in drastic contrast to the lows she experienced in other areas.

The Troubletones lost to the New Directions at Sectionals. Santana didn't know how that happened, since they kicked ass. It had to have been because the other club sang Michael Jackson and the sexual gyrations of Trouty Mouth heating up some of the judges' panties. Thanks to some help from Quinn, however, Mr. Schue allowed the Troubletones to be absorbed back into the New Directions on the condition that the girl group be allowed to perform a number at each competition.

Santana was glad that her friendship with Quinn was still solid enough that the other girl wanted them to come back enough to do that for them. She didn't know what she would have done the rest of the year without having glee club. She loved being able to perform, especially with Brittany by her side.

Things seemed to be back on track until the rivalry with the Warblers started heating up. That little weasel Sebastian deserved a swift kick to the balls just for his smarmy expression, but when he decided to physically attack her friends and nearly blinded Blaine she wanted to go all kinds of Lima Heights on his ass. She had come to accept the glee members as her family, despite their loser status and general annoyingness, and no one was going to attack her family. Brittany and Kurt ended up talking her out of physical violence, but there was no way she was going to let this go.

Santana plotted, and with a little help from Artie, had a plan. She drove the near two hours to Westerville to confront the bastard, and not only showed him up in their little vocal duel, but got him to confess what he did to Blaine on the recorder she taped to her underboob. Since she was nearby, she decided to buy herself something nice at the fashion mall in town as a celebration before driving all the way back home. She was going to get the Warblers disqualified and defend her friends at the same time. But for some reason, nobody, except Brittany, thought what she accomplished was as awesome as she thought it was.

"I don't get it, BritBrit. That was a really clever plan. We can nail his ass with this confession, but nobody seems to want to go after him." They were sitting on her bed that night after she had told everyone at glee what she had done.

"Well I thought what you did was awesome. I never would have come up with that plan. And we can still use it to help stop this fighting between all of us. We just don't have to hurt other people in the process." Brittany was running her hands soothingly through Santana's hair as the brunette's head laid in her lap.

"I know. That is a really good idea, too. I just don't know why nobody else wants to get revenge after what that smirky little freak did to Blaine."

Brittany smiled down at Santana, which was a weird reaction since the dancer didn't typically like conflict like she did.

"What's that look for?"

"It's just that I am really proud of you." Brittany continued to stroke Santana's hair as she smiled.

"Well you are the only one who thinks my plan was any good."

Brittany shook her head, still smiling. "No, I mean I am proud of you for standing up for your friends. You have finally accepted the glee kids as your family. I know that you only stand up for the people you really care about, and you obviously care about them."

"I just want to win Regionals." Santana demurred, uncomfortable that her girlfriend could read her so well.

Brittany gave a small laugh, eyes dancing with joy. "You care about them, Santana. I know you do. And it's okay, because I care about them, too. We are all different, but we all mash-up really good together. And that's awesome. And I am proud of you because not that long ago, you went out of your way to call them all losers and act like you hated them all, but now you make plans to protect them from mean people and are there for them to help if needed."

Santana looked shyly away from the blonde for a second, embarrassed at her feelings being exposed. "Yeah, well, most of them are pretty cool even if they are losers. But don't tell them I said that. And don't go acting like I want to be besties and hug Berry or anything. That is never going to happen."

"Of course not, I am your best friend! Rachel can't have you! Plus, there is no way I could even stand being around her much outside of glee, so I don't see how you could ever hang around her enough to have her take my place."

Santana laughed. "Relax, babe. You have nothing to worry about, no one would ever take your place."

Brittany grinned at her again. "Better not! Besides, I don't think Rachel would make you as happy as I can."

"Mmmm, definitely not." Santana smirked.

"I mean, no one knows your tickle spots better than I do."

Santana's eyes widened, bringing her hands up to fend off the attack she knew was coming. "Don't you dare! You will regret it, Brit!"

Brittany's grin grew larger as she leaned forward to dig her fingers into the brunette's sides causing her to giggle uncontrollably and squirm to get away. Santana fought to get her girlfriend's hands away to no avail, and tried to roll into a ball to protect herself but the blonde was too strong. The girls giggled until Santana had a hard time breathing from laughter, causing Brittany to finally relent so she could catch her breath. Brittany moved to lie down on her side facing Santana while she lay on her back, finally starting to breathe normally again.

"You are a really awesome person, Santana. I'm happy I get to be your girlfriend."

Santana turned her head to look at the blonde, seeing the loving look she knew was mirrored on her own face. "Me, too."

Brittany cupped Santana's cheek and caressed it with her thumb causing the brunette to close her eyes and smile in contentment. Then she opened them again suddenly, a startled look on her face.

"For real, Brit. Don't tell anyone from glee that I actually like them. I don't know what I would do if they weren't at least a little afraid of me still."

Brittany laughed. She moved her hand from Santana's face and brought it down the hand resting on the brunette's stomach in order to link their pinkies together. "I promise."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Well, I am pretty sure this is the longest chapter I have posted so far. But it definitely isn't the longest in the story, just so you know. We come to the end of senior year this chapter, and a lot of stuff happens. And we get an additional sexy times scene since the next part we all know what will happen :(**

 **Again, I am astounded by the people who are actually following, favoriting, reviewing, and even just plain reading this story. It means a lot to me! If you guys ever have any questions or comments, feel free to review or message me. I am also on Tumblr with the same name. Thanks!**

Chapter 12

Once the new semester started, the students at McKinley High had pretty much accepted Santana and Brittany as a couple without any issues. The girls had to deal with some comments and looks from others every once in awhile, but things had settled down enough by now that it wasn't such a big deal anymore that they were a couple. Kurt and Blaine had already kind of paved the way for them, so after the initial shock of Santana's outing the school day went back to pretty much normal. The only difference now was that everyone knew about them, and they started kissing in public.

That's why it was such a shock when Valentine's Day came around and Principal Figgins called Santana and Brittany into his office to tell them not to continue their public displays of affection at school. Santana was really upset by the double standard at the school, particularly when she heard that it was a complaint based on religious grounds against the fact that they were a lesbian couple and not against public kissing in general. She was ready to find out who it was and kick their ass, especially after finding out how upset Brittany was about it.

Brittany tracked her down in the hallway after she stormed out of Figgins' office.

"Santana, I'm so sorry about this."

"It's not your fault, Brit. It's the ridiculous double standard we now get at this school due to a few religious freaks. I mean, it's apparently okay that the troll and Lumps can examine each other's throats with their tongues, but if our lips so much as touch each other then we get in trouble. God, I want to find out who complained and go all Lima Heights!"

"No, don't do that. It would only make things worse, and you know that. I am just sorry that I can't use my power as senior class president to mandate that it is okay for us to kiss in public. I asked Principal Figgins, and he said that even if I showed up to the meetings I couldn't make that rule. I just don't understand why we even elect somebody as president if they can't do anything to fix problems at this school. That's why I ran in the first place, to make things better here for us."

Santana saw that Brittany was on the verge of tears. Her anger started to evaporate immediately, and she wanted nothing more now than to comfort her lover. She grabbed the other girl's hands to get her attention. She waited until blue eyes focused on her before she spoke.

"Babe, you can't fix everybody's opinions. No matter what, we are going to deal with people who don't like us and our relationship. The only things we can do are stand up for ourselves or ignore them, but the fact is they will probably still hate us. I know you wanted to use your presidency to get the kids at this school to accept the people who are different and amazing, and you are doing that. You are the most awesome president this school has ever had." She scrunched up her nose in a smile, trying to get the blonde to cheer up.

Brittany rolled her eyes, but her mouth started to turn up in a smile.

"Come on, it's Valentine's Day. Let's just spend the rest of the day basking in the fact that you and I are more in love and are hotter than any other couple in this dump. And when we leave, I can give you your present." Santana sing-songed her last words, causing her girlfriend to get excited.

"What did you get me? Is it the parts I need for my time machine?"

Santana laughed at Brittany's exuberance and shook her head. "You will just have to wait and see."

"But I want to know now! Pretty please?" The blonde pleaded, adding an adorable pout. Santana just shook her head again and hoped that she could make it the rest of the day without giving in to her girlfriend.

* * *

Regionals came upon them quickly. Santana looked forward to taking down the Warblers, particularly since Douchey McDoucheface Sebastian was still in attack mode against the New Directions. But then Karofsky was outed and tried to kill himself, and she was totally over all the vicious, underhanded stunts going around. It scared her because she knew the way people treated Dave could have easily happened to her. She was lucky in that her outing didn't result in people around her taunting her and telling her to kill herself. As bad as it was when the commercial aired, she had a solid support system from her friends and family. She honestly didn't know what she would have done if she were in Dave's shoes. She was so grateful to have the love of the people around her. Especially Brittany, who helped get her through the darkest times.

Thankfully, the New Directions and the Warblers struck a truce and Sebastian agreed to end the attacks and work together to dedicate the Regionals performances in Dave's honor. Turns out the little weasel had a heart in him. When Santana saw the kinds of things people were writing on Karofsky's Facebook page, she got so angry. Brittany had made her stop looking, afraid that she was seriously going to hurt someone or have a break down. Brittany suggested that she and Santana make a card for Karofsky to give to him in the hospital, since she knew how affected Santana was. Santana honestly was terrified to think of what happened to her former prom date, but she wanted to show support for him considering she understood his struggles, so she agreed to help decorate an elaborately colorful get well card Brittany designed. They gave it to Kurt to take to the hospital since he said he was going to visit.

Naturally, the New Directions won Regionals and she was ecstatic that they were heading back to Nationals again. They had one more chance to prove that they were the best. One more chance to show everyone that their little band of misfits that should have never worked was the best in the country.

Then the year proved to follow its same roller coaster theme when Quinn got into a car accident on her way to Berry and Frankenteen's wedding. Santana was relieved when she found out Quinn survived, but shared tears with Brittany when they found out their friend had some spinal damage and needed to use a wheelchair. Despite their conflicts and frenemy relationship, Quinn was still one of Santana's closest friends. To think that she could have lost her definitely freaked her out.

That wasn't the only thing that freaked her out, either. Her relationship with Brittany was going great, but everything else in her life had been pretty out of control throughout the year. Santana had no idea what was going to happen in her life, and the closer they came to graduation, the more worried she became about the future. She already had the one thing she wanted most in the world, and that was Brittany. She didn't know what she wanted to do besides be with her right now. And the thought of possibly separating from her girlfriend if they went in different directions was absolutely terrifying.

Every time she tried bringing up Brittany's plans for the future, the blonde avoided discussing it. Since Santana was hesitant about making plans of her own, she let it go and tried not to think about it. They could figure it out someday. As long as she still had Brittany, she could handle most anything.

Then Mr. Schuester and Sue got it in their heads to try to force her, Finn, and Mercedes to come up with a path to follow for after graduation. The only thing Santana knew she wanted to do was continue performing. She had grown to love performing in glee, and she wanted that feeling to continue. She knew she didn't want to go the route of the hobbit and Lady Hummel with NYADA, but she also didn't know exactly what she wanted to do.

When Brittany got it into her head to help Santana become famous, the brunette finally realized that she may have started down the wrong path saying she wanted to become famous any way she could. Thankfully the "sex tape" the blonde uploaded was mostly just scenes of them making out spliced with the clips of Lord Tubbington. Thank God her girlfriend knew how to edit videos. The dancer made sure neither girl was ever shown naked, and Santana had to admit that it was kind of hot. But still not something that she wanted out for the general public to see.

Regardless, she could never truly be mad at Brittany for doing what she did when she was just trying to help Santana figure out what she wanted to do. She knew Brittany cared about what her future held when she found out about the scholarship to the University of Louisville. Just the fact that her girlfriend would go through all of that to give her the opportunity to go to a good college and have some sort of plan made her love the blonde even more.

* * *

The rest of the school year seemed to pass in a blur. Brittany still avoided talking about her plans for the future, only saying something about Purdue. Santana wished Brittany would consider going to Louisville with her if the blonde was going to go to college, but was willing to deal with her being in Indiana since it was still right next to Kentucky.

Things were going well with the glee club, and Santana and Rachel even sang a duet together. Santana was forced to eat her words from earlier in the year when she actually agreed to be friends with the diva and hugged her. Brittany laughed so hard when she told her girlfriend what happened. But Santana knew that Brittany was proud of her for admitting that she actually kind of liked Berry. It meant that she was willing to open up more and let people in, which was something she refused to do before. Even she had to admit that she was a happier person not hating on everyone all of the time.

Brittany ended up organizing the most genius prom. Santana was excited that her classmates recognized her and Brittany as a couple for prom king and queen. It meant that she was actually getting accepted for being who she really was. It didn't even matter in the end that she and Brittany didn't win. She was happy, and nothing else even mattered. Quinn surprised everyone by standing up during their duet, and almost gave Santana a heart attack before the brunette swiftly helped support her friend for the rest of the song. Brittany was amazing all night, and she was so in love with her girl. It was the best prom ever.

Santana had gotten a hotel room for the night to keep the celebration going. They ditched their friends before they got roped into some after party and headed to spend the rest of their prom night alone together.

Santana barely made it through the hotel room door before Brittany pounced on her. She was grabbed and pushed up against the door as it slammed closed, her girlfriend's mouth hurriedly meeting her own. They kissed desperately, Brittany's hands going straight to grab the back of Santana's head to press her closer, fingers tangling in dark hair.

"I have wanted to do this all night," the blonde breathed against Santana's lips before kissing her deeper, tongues tangling together causing her to moan into Brittany's mouth.

Santana's hands moved around to unzip the blonde's dress and they both worked to quickly remove her clothing. Soon, Brittany was naked and working on getting Santana out of her clothes as they made their way to the bed. Santana's knees hit the edge of the bed and she was pushed down onto it before the blonde grabbed the edge of her panties to pull them down. She lifted her hips so her girlfriend could pull off her last article of clothing, then she scooted up further on the bed, pulling Brittany down in a searing kiss to lie down and bring their bodies in contact.

"I love you so much, Brit," she said as the dancer trailed kisses down her jaw to bring her earlobe between her teeth.

"I love you, too." The whispered words in her ear caused Santana to shiver.

Brittany sucked the brunette's earlobe before placing wet kisses down her neck. She licked and sucked her way down, making Santana writhe beneath her. Once the blonde reached her breasts, she spent a considerable amount of time alternating between them with her mouth, sucking and licking while she kneaded and pinched the nipple of the other one not getting attention from her mouth.

Santana was in torture. She desperately needed Brittany to give some attention to her throbbing center, but her girlfriend seemed content to stay where she was. The blonde continued to ignore her whimpers and rolls of her hips in favor of leaving her mark all over her chest.

"Brit, please. If you don't touch somewhere other than my tits soon, I think I am going to die," Santana whined.

Brittany chuckled against her breast, smiling as she licked her nipple one more time and then looked up into dark eyes hooded with lust.

"Where do you want me to touch?" Her voice was deepened with desire, and Santana felt her wetness trickle further down her thighs at the sound and the devilish look on her lover's face.

"You know where. Stop teasing!" Santana was beyond desperate.

"Where do you want me to touch, Santana?" Brittany was going to demand that Santana tell her what she wanted, and it was fucking hot.

Santana grabbed one of Brittany's hands and guided it down her abdomen to her slick center, rubbing her lover's fingers through her wetness. "Touch me there, babe. Please!"

Brittany slid her fingers over her sex, coating her fingers with the brunette's juices before rubbing Santana's clit lightly. Santana's eyes fluttered closed as she moaned.

"Is this what you want? Or did you want my mouth?"

God, a dominant Brittany was so sexy. And as much as she loved the blonde touching her right now, she knew she wanted the second option.

"I want your mouth!" Santana demanded.

Santana forced her eyes open to watch the blonde slide down her body to settle between her thighs. She removed her fingers and pressed her open mouth down to cover as much of Santana's sex as possible, running her tongue over the folds and hitting Santana's clit. "Oh, God."

Brittany's mouth felt so good. Santana absolutely loved it when the other girl went down on her. It seemed to get better every time. Brittany's tongue made circles over her clit before flicking over it up and down while she sucked on it. The brunette was going to come soon if she kept it up, and she didn't want to come that fast. She wanted to feel Brittany's body when she came.

"Brit- I… I need…"

Brittany, so attuned to her lover, immediately placed a soft kiss to the brunette's center before crawling her way back up. She kissed Santana deeply, letting Santana taste herself on Brittany's tongue, as she suddenly entered the brunette with two fingers. She whimpered into Brittany's mouth as her hips rose up to meet the blonde's thrusts.

Santana was almost lost in a pleasure haze. She finally remembered that she wanted to touch her girlfriend as well, so she brought her left hand down to stroke the blonde's wetness. Brittany broke their kiss as she gasped at the contact.

"You feel so good." Brittany rested her forehead against Santana's, looking into her eyes as they touched each other.

"Mhmm. Don't stop, BritBrit."

Brittany picked up the pace of her thrusts, adding her thumb against Santana's clit to drive her higher towards her peak.

"Come for me," Brittany demanded. Santana's back arched, left hand stilling against the other girl's sex, right hand clutching at Brittany's left arm and her fingers digging in as she cried out in pleasure. She could swear she heard Brittany growl as she continued thrusting her fingers while the brunette continued to orgasm. She stilled her fingers once Santana started to relax before pulling them slowly out.

Santana whimpered at the loss. Brittany kissed her hungrily, causing her to lose her breath again. She felt her girlfriend's hips start to roll against her and she finally came back to her senses enough to start rubbing her fingers against the dancer's wetness again. She used her other arm to roll them over to her right so Brittany was on her back. She quickly entered the blonde with two fingers as she lay atop her, still kissing deeply as their breasts crushed together.

Santana started with a quick pace to her thrusts, causing the other girl to writhe beneath her. She pulled back from Brittany's mouth to watch her girlfriend's face as she pleasured her. The dancer bit down on her lower lip, brow furrowing as the brunette continued to pump in and out.

"What do you want, babe?"

"More," Brittany gasped out.

Santana added a third finger and used the heel of her hand to rub against the blonde's clit as she thrust. She nibbled and sucked at Brittany's neck and collarbone, listening to the moans growing louder from her lover. Once she felt the muscles starting to clamp down on her fingers, she looked up to watch the dancer's face contort in pleasure as her climax rocked through her. She clenched down almost painfully against Santana's fingers as she arched up and cried out.

Santana continued to rub against her clit as she moved her fingers inside of her as much as she could, causing the other girl to shoot back up into another peak just after she had started to come down. Brittany's nails dug into her back, and Santana smiled, satisfied that they would leave marks. She loved when she could make Brittany lose control like this.

Once her girlfriend started to relax, she carefully slid her fingers out as she placed soothing kisses to Brittany's cheek while she waited for her breathing to return to normal.

"You are really good at that."

Santana chuckled. "You make me want to be really good at that."

"Mmmm, I'm glad." Brittany turned her head to smile at her. "This was an awesome prom night."

Santana grinned. "Best prom _ever_."

The girls got enough energy to get underneath the covers. Brittany pulled Santana into her arms, spooning her and burying her face in the dark locks at Santana's neck. Santana yawned, eyes starting to close from exhaustion.

"I love you, Brittany."

"I love you, too, Santana." Santana drifted easily to sleep.

* * *

They had killed it at Nationals. Santana had been so nervous standing up on that stage waiting for them to announce the winners. When she heard the announcer say "New Directions", she was ecstatic. After three years of hard work and drama and trials, she had finally reached the ultimate peak with something she loved. And the fact that she got to share it with her girlfriend and people she had come to view as family made it that much better.

Brittany and Santana had talked after the win, and her girlfriend told her that she wanted to spend every good moment like this one of their lives together. They were so caught up in the high of the win and each other that they didn't even care that they were sharing a room with Quinn, Mercedes, and Sugar. They started a heated make-out session when they got back to the hotel that started to progress as they rolled around on their bed. Santana was straddling Brittany, kissing her deeply when she felt something cold slide down her now bare back.

"What the fuck?" She broke away from her girlfriend, trying to get whatever it was off her back.

She turned to see Quinn holding the hotel bucket of ice, eyebrow arched and a smirk on her face.

"Oh, shit!" She quickly got off of Brittany and pulled the sheet over both of them to cover their bare torsos.

"Sorry to break your little tryst up, but Mercedes is out in the hallway refusing to come in and Sugar is hiding in the bathtub. I was volunteered to be the one to get you two to stop since apparently hearing you make out during sleepovers and seeing you naked in the locker room means I am the 'best suited to the task'. Everyone just wants to get some sleep without getting to know you guys too intimately."

"Sorry, Quinn." Brittany's face was red with embarrassment as she searched for her top.

"How much did everyone see?" Santana was flustered.

"Well, Mercedes went into the hall once we realized you guys weren't hearing us telling you to cool it down. Sugar hid in the bathroom once you pulled Brittany's shirt off and the moaning started. She demanded that I put a stop to it before she was scarred for life."

"Shit. We kind of got carried away. Sorry, Q."

Quinn laughed. "Just get some clothes on, and we will never speak of this again."

* * *

The high of the win at Nationals was quickly erased when Santana found out that Brittany wasn't graduating. Apparently the future plans her girlfriend had mentioned had been Perdue, the chicken company and not actually a university. But even that wasn't going to happen, since the blonde had failed virtually all of her classes.

Santana didn't know what to do now. She still wasn't excited about going to Louisville, but it was kind of the only option she had going forward. She was really tempted to stay in Lima now that Brittany was going to be staying behind, but both her girlfriend and her mother convinced her that this was not a good idea. After all of the trouble Brittany went through to get her that scholarship to the University of Louisville, she really would have felt guilty if she didn't go in order to stay at home and do nothing.

Santana and Brittany argued after she found out that the blonde wasn't graduating. She was mad that her girlfriend didn't tell her that she was failing. She knew she had slacked off on helping with her homework this year, but every time she brought it up Brittany told her not to worry about it. And now they were paying the price.

When her mom gave her the check for all of the money she had been saving for Santana's college tuition, she was tempted to use it to do something else. Louisville wasn't her dream, but she still didn't know exactly what her dream was besides being with Brittany. Both her mom and Brittany mentioned her going to New York instead, if that was what she wanted. But she really didn't know.

Going off on her own was scary, and going all the way to New York to be that far away from her girlfriend terrified her. Not to mention that she had no sort of plan for New York. She had no college acceptance there, she had no job there, she had nothing there that would sway her to move there. Just the slight chance that she might be able to make it big somehow.

With all of that taken into consideration, Santana decided to go ahead and stick with Brittany's original plan and go to Louisville. She would only be a few hours away from her girlfriend so she could see her as often as she could. She knew that with classes and cheerleading practices that it would be a crazy schedule, but she would have more opportunities to come home there than in New York.

Brittany had planned on spending most of the summer together before she had to go to Kentucky. It broke her heart when she had to tell the blonde that she had to leave in a month in order to start practices for the squad. Brittany was disappointed, but said she understood.

They spent every day together after graduation, just hanging out, going shopping, going out to dinner, and having as much sex as they could. Soon, it came time for Santana to leave. They made love several times the night before Santana was going to depart. She cried to sleep in Brittany's arms, not wanting to let go of the girl who had been the biggest part of her life for the last four years. Brittany broke down that morning, sobbing that she didn't want Santana to leave. Driving away was the hardest thing Santana had ever done.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: This chapter is just meh. It was necessary though, although I am not pleased with it. Much like Santana in season 4, I was a little lost with what to do. Santana didn't have much of anything of consequence going on at the beginning of the season, so there wasn't really too much to really write particularly in regards to her and Brittany since it was mostly just the sad stuff. I hate to say that it will get a little worse before it gets better, so please just stick with me! Because I promise it does get a lot better!**

 **Hope you all are continuing to enjoy/tolerate the story. I am still making good progress on the companion story, and it is (in my opinion) much better than this one. Anyways, I always love hearing your thoughts and comments, and appreciate all of you following/favoriting/reviewing. And thank you to everyone who is saying such nice things about this story. It is my first story ever, so it is great to know I don't totally suck!**

Part 5- Freshman Year Again and New York 2012-2013

Chapter 13

Santana was miserable. Classes and cheerleading practices kept her busy, but nothing could keep her busy enough to keep her mind off of missing Brittany. She hated Louisville. The school was okay and classes were interesting, but Louisville didn't have her girlfriend.

She talked to Brittany every day at first. But it got hard. She started to miss the blonde more and more, and soon she started to feel even worse after she talked to her girlfriend than before she did. So she started pulling back. She blamed it on her crazy schedule with all of the practices and studying. The truth was she just kept thinking more and more about dropping out and going back home every time she talked to Brittany or saw her face on Skype.

Santana loved Brittany more than anything in the world. Pulling back hurt, but she didn't know what to do. The distance was killing her, and she knew it was affecting their relationship. The longer she stayed in Kentucky, the more lost she got. She didn't even know what to pick as a major. Her days consisted of cheering, introductory coursework, and missing Brittany. Even thinking about going to New York was off the table now. She had no clue what direction to take with her life, so she just kept going on the path she had chosen.

Hearing Brittany get more morose over time made things that much worse. When Santana heard about Brittany's meltdown and the glee club's Britney 2.0 week to try to get her back on track, she knew she was going to have to do something about the situation soon. She felt more and more guilty over pulling away, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Brittany might be better off if she could move on without Santana.

The mere thought of not being in a relationship with Brittany anymore sent Santana into a deep funk. They had fought so hard to get to where they were. They had gone through so much just to be able to be together. But now the time apart and the distance was putting cracks in their relationship. Santana was afraid that some outside force was going to act and rip them apart to the point where they could never be put back together. That thought scared her more than anything.

The brunette planned a trip back home about a month after classes had started at McKinley. She was going to see how it went while she was there, and use the trip as a way to test the waters and see which way things should go. They had an ecstatic reunion, and Santana's heart swelled with love at being able to hold Brittany in her arms again and kiss her and make love to her.

But she could tell things had changed. They didn't have quite the same level of ease around each other that they had before. Then they went to that insane Left Behind Club meeting, and she saw the devastation she had wrought on Brittany. Even though the blonde had told her to go, she couldn't handle Santana's leaving. And though Santana's pulling away helped her to cope with the separation from Brittany, it had just made things that much worse for her girlfriend.

She was deep in thought on the drive back from Breadstix when Brittany's voice got her attention.

"I'm sorry for freaking out on you back at the restaurant."

"No, babe. Don't be sorry. I understand." She looked away from the road briefly to give a sad smile to the blonde. She removed one hand from the wheel to grab Brittany's hand and lace their fingers together. "This whole thing has sucked. But I promise I will find a way to make things better for you."

"I really hate being apart from you, Santana." She could hear the tears in Brittany's voice.

"I know, BritBrit. I hate it, too." Tears started to pool in her eyes, but she blinked them away and cleared her throat. "It is a really hard adjustment to go from being super close to someone and seeing them nearly every day for 4 years to being separated by hundreds of miles and barely getting to talk to them. It is hard enough not being around my best friend, but when you add in the fact that she's my girlfriend, it makes it that much harder to deal with."

"Tell me about it. I really hate not being able to kiss you or hold your hand. Long distance relationships suck." Brittany was crying again.

Santana pulled their joined hands up to place a lingering kiss to the blonde's fingers, trying to comfort her. "I will make it better, okay?"

"How?"

Tears started to roll down Santana's cheeks now.

"I don't know yet," she lied.

When they pulled up to Brittany's house, the blonde started to get out of the car before she realized that Santana made no move to turn off the engine.

"Are you not coming in?"

"I don't know if it's a good idea. I should probably get an early start in the morning to make it back to campus." Her heart was hurting. She wanted nothing more than to spend one more night with her girlfriend.

Brittany pouted. "Please, Santana? I want to sleep next to you one more time before you have to go. We can just sleep, too, if you have to get up early."

Santana couldn't resist the blonde. She smiled sadly and turned off the engine before following the dancer. Brittany was true to her word, and she didn't try to do anything more than give a few lingering goodnight kisses before falling asleep wrapped in each other's arms. Santana stayed awake for hours with a growing ache in her chest, fighting off tears threatening to fall from the conclusion she had finally been forced to.

She ended up getting a few hours of restless sleep before waking around 5am. She placed a soft kiss to Brittany's forehead before gently slipping out of the bed and getting ready to leave. She leaned over the still sleeping blonde once more to kiss her cheek.

"I love you, Brittany," she whispered before standing up and quietly walking out.

She sent a text to Brittany a little while later asking the blonde to meet her in the choir room later that day. Her heart broke a little after she hit the send button, but it was nothing compared to what she knew was coming once she talked to Brittany in a few hours.

* * *

Breaking up with Brittany was the hardest thing Santana had ever had to do in her life. She didn't want to break up with her, and Brittany didn't want them to break up either. They were still so much in love with each other.

It was such a hard decision to make, but she was sure it was the best for them. Brittany would have a chance to move on and concentrate on getting through her senior year again instead of missing her and trying to keep their relationship from falling apart. Santana had every intention of them getting back together in the future. She just could not see a future for herself without Brittany being with her.

Santana discovered that trying to stay best friends with her ex-girlfriend was also one of the hardest things she had to do. Even when they had their difficult times in junior year, while Brittany dated Artie and Santana was still afraid to come out of the closet, they hadn't been able to stay away from each other for very long. With the distance keeping them apart physically and the heartache from the break-up a constant presence, it was hard to maintain contact even through texts and phone calls. She second guessed herself every time she thought about calling the blonde or sending a quick text about something that happened during her day. Their conversations went from comfortably sharing every little thing to awkward recaps of meaningless occurrences.

Every time they talked, Brittany never failed to tell Santana that she missed her. Santana would return the sentiment, but the constant reminder was making it harder for her to deal with everything. They had both stopped saying "I love you" because it hurt too much.

Santana knew Brittany wasn't making an effort to date anyone else. In a way Santana was relieved, because she wanted to get back together once their distance situation was resolved. But she also didn't want to hold the other girl back from experiencing life or being able to enjoy it. If dating someone else is what Brittany needed to do that, then Santana would find a way to deal with it.

She found herself returning to Lima several times, giving herself excuses why it was okay to go back. She told herself that she was helping the glee club by giving them performing advice or playing Rizzo in the school's production of Grease. She told herself it wasn't to go back and see Brittany. But she knew that, deep down, she wanted to go back to Lima to just be in the same room as the blonde and see her face or smell her perfume.

Brittany still wanted to get back together. Santana was so tempted, but she knew that they would just end back up in the same situation as before: miserable and lonely with no way of fixing the ache of not being able to touch one another. Santana's biggest fear was that someone would get in between them if they reunited. It was hard being in a long distance relationship and not being able to be intimate with each other, and proximity to other people willing to relieve the sexual frustration just posed too much of a threat.

The brunette knew that they wouldn't willingly cheat on each other, but their past history wasn't exactly stellar in that regard. They had both cheated on their boyfriends with each other, and they hadn't really thought anything of it back then. Santana trusted Brittany, and she knew that the blonde trusted her. It was other people that would manipulate their way in to a situation that could destroy them that she didn't trust. So Santana had to tell Brittany that they still couldn't be together, even though it still hurt.

Santana went out to celebrate with some of the glee kids at Breadstix after the Grease performance. She had fun seeing them all again, and even got to know some of the new kids a little better. She definitely did not trust that Kitty girl. She seemed like a Quinn Fabray clone, and she had a feeling that the girl was up to no good. She was enjoying one of her breadsticks when she felt a familiar presence sit beside her.

"You were really good tonight." Santana turned to see Brittany next to her in the booth, smiling at her.

"Naturally." She flipped her hair back, a smug look on her face, before she grinned back at the blonde.

"I miss getting to perform with you. The other kids are great and all, but the best thing about glee club for me was singing and dancing with you."

Santana gave a sad smile. "I miss it, too. Cheerleading at Louisville isn't even as good as the Cheerios was because you aren't there to make it better."

Brittany studied her for a moment. "You know, if you aren't happy there you can always go to New York."

"We talked about this, Brit. I don't have anything for me in New York. I wouldn't even have school in New York because I didn't apply anywhere there."

"You could always figure something out. I mean, Kurt went out there without having gotten into NYADA and he is making it."

"That's because he somehow got a once in a lifetime internship to miraculously fall into his lap and is willing to live with Berry. I wouldn't even have a place to live," Santana said.

"Maybe Kurt and Rachel would let you live with them for awhile. At least until you found your own place and figured out what you wanted to do."

"Brit, you know me and that mustachioed dwarf could never cohabitate. I could probably stand Lady Hummel as long as he kept his gay porn stash out of my sight."

Brittany laughed, then shrugged as she became serious again. "Well, I just don't want you to sell yourself short. I understand what you were trying to get through to me before. About us needing to be apart for now. You don't want to hold me back from living my life here while you are gone. But I want the same thing for you, Santana. If you decide that cheerleading in Louisville is what you want, then that's fine. But if it isn't, then you need to start living your life how you want in order to get to where you want to be."

Santana looked down at her hands clasped in her lap, uncomfortable with the fact that she didn't know where she wanted to be if it wasn't with Brittany. "What if I still don't know where I want to be?"

Brittany reached over and grabbed one of Santana's hands from her lap, holding it between both of her own and waited until Santana looked back up at her. "It isn't a race, Santana. You can take your time to figure out your dreams. Even though we aren't together, you are still my best friend and I just want to see you happy. And right now, I don't think you are very happy. Just promise me you will keep thinking about it?"

Santana gave a small smile and nodded. She had a lot of thinking to do now, thanks to Brittany. After that conversation, she knew now that the other girl wasn't going to bother her anymore about getting back together. Santana knew it was time she started moving on with her own life. She also knew it would be easier said than done.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Again, not too thrilled with this chapter. I really did not like season 4...**

 **On a good note: I am officially almost done with the companion story (it is turning out to be significantly longer than this one, yay?). As soon as I finish it up, I will have to work on editing it. I plan on posting the first chapter when I post the last chapter of this one, so there is still some time before you guys will see it. But once I am officially done editing and all, I plan on starting my next story which will be an AU Brittana story. I am really excited/terrified about it.**

 **I love hearing from you guys and get super excited every time I get a new follow or favorite or review. Seriously guys, it totally helps make my day. Talk to me!**

Chapter 14

Santana did her best to move on. She threw herself into her classes and practices, and started to party hard. The first time she got drunk and made out with another girl, she hurriedly ran back to her dorm afterward and sobbed from guilt. It had felt like she cheated on Brittany, even though they weren't together.

She still loved the blonde so much, so in her heart she felt like it was a betrayal of the other girl. It wasn't even like she was going to start dating the girl from the party, since it was some drunk, straight girl looking to experiment with a hot lesbian. But it was the first time Santana fully realized that she and Brittany weren't together anymore.

After that first time, she ended up making out with a few more girls at different parties. She felt like she was back in the first couple years of high school with random, meaningless hook ups. She no longer had breakdowns afterwards, but she still didn't feel quite right kissing anyone but Brittany.

The brunette still couldn't bring herself to have sex with anyone else yet either. This was the longest she had gone without sex since she lost her virginity. She learned to get comfortable pleasuring herself in the dorm showers or quickly in her room while her roommate was out. She invested in toys to help get herself off faster. And every time she touched herself, she still thought of the blonde haired, blue eyed girl in Lima.

Despite not being able to move on romantically with anyone else, she was able to start moving on more with her everyday life. She still hadn't really made a lot of friends. Most people saw Santana as a bitch because she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She was invited to parties mostly because she was a cheerleader and she was hot. When guys found out she was a lesbian they tried to get into her pants even more. When she put them in their place, everyone became awkward around her.

She wasn't really fitting in, but wasn't a true outsider either. She did well in her classes and with cheerleading, but she wasn't passionate about it. She was lost as to what she wanted to do about it, though. Santana was still hesitant about moving to New York. Maybe if she had some idea what her dreams for her future were, besides being with Brittany of course, she could make a decision.

She loved to perform, but she didn't think she had the same kind of talent to become a recording artist like Mercedes was attempting in LA or a Broadway star like Rachel was attempting in New York. She could probably do some passable acting, since she fooled most people by pretending to be straight for years.

But it wasn't something she truly had much experience with, apart from the few musicals they did at McKinley, that mattress commercial, and that weird music video Berry made back in junior year. The brunette knew it took years to even get a break in the acting world most of the time. That would mean years of struggling in a big city with nowhere to even live, no job to start out with, and it would be even further away from Brittany.

Santana went back to help the glee club around Thanksgiving as they prepared for Sectionals. She enjoyed being around everyone else again, and it was fun performing with Quinn and Brittany again. She really did miss this.

She even realized that she missed the arguments she used to have with Quinn. She was much happier hanging around the glee kids she barely knew and the old friends she had made in that choir room than she was in Louisville. Going back was making her realize that staying in Kentucky was probably not part of her dream.

As the end of the semester approached, she still didn't know what she wanted to do. She registered for classes for the next semester just in case she was going to stay. Santana didn't want to go back to Lima for Christmas since she and Brittany were officially over. She was pretty depressed about the holidays. So she decided to do a little shopping spree in New York and visit Kurt and Rachel and see if maybe New York was somewhere she may want to end up.

She was working on packing for her trip and listening to music on her iPod, singing along and trying to get out of her funk. Then a song started playing that made her stop and think. It was something she had added to her iPod during their "Rumours" assignment in junior year. She hadn't really paid much attention to it back then, since "Songbird" spoke so powerfully to her at that time. But it was grabbing her attention now. She let the lyrics wash over her.

 _Now here you go again_

 _You say you want your freedom_

 _Well who am I to keep you down?_

 _It's only right that you should_

 _Play the way you feel it_

 _But listen carefully to the sound_

 _Of your loneliness_

 _Like a heartbeat drives you mad_

 _In the stillness of remembering_

 _What you had, and what you lost_

 _And what you had, and what you lost_

 _Thunder only happens when it's raining_

 _Players only love you when they're playing_

 _Say, women, they will come and they will go_

 _When the rain washes you clean, you'll know_

 _Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions_

 _I keep my visions to myself_

 _It's only me who wants to wrap around your dreams and_

 _Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?_

 _Dreams of loneliness_

 _Like a heartbeat drives you mad_

 _In the stillness of remembering_

 _What you had, and what you lost_

 _And what you had, and what you lost_

 _Thunder only happens when it's raining_

 _Players only love you when they're playing_

 _Say, women, they will come and they will go_

 _When the rain washes you clean you'll know_

It made her think of her and Brittany. How she had let Brittany go so they both could be free to live their lives as they needed to. How their breakup caused such loneliness for both of them. It made her think of the memories of their time together and the pain it caused knowing that she gave Brittany up. And it also made her think of the hope she still had that maybe, after all of the shit they have had to deal with, they could get back together one day. She could at least dream it.

* * *

Spending the holidays in New York wasn't too bad. It hadn't taken her mind off of Brittany like she was hoping it would. But all of the shopping and working at the Santa Land at the mall and the Macy's display kept her busy enough not to dwell on it.

She hadn't heard from Brittany much since she last saw her at Thanksgiving, so she was pleased to get a text on Christmas Day from the blonde wishing her a Merry Christmas and telling her she had a present for the brunette for the next time they saw each other. She was glad the dancer still wanted to exchange gifts, since Santana couldn't help but buy Brittany some things during all of the shopping she had done with her college money her mom had given her. The brunette had replied back with her holiday wishes and told her that she hoped to see her soon.

Staying with Kurt and Rachel actually turned out pretty well, despite the whole hiccup of that weird stripper Santa getting them black-out drunk and robbing the loft. That whole incident had made her a little wary of moving to New York when thinking about her future plans. But Rachel had offered that Santana could stay at the loft if she wanted to move out there. She wasn't quite sure about the offer, but kept it in the back of her mind just in case.

She returned to Louisville and started attending the first week of classes in the new semester. She was even more miserable than before. She stopped attending classes and made the decision to drop out.

Since she wasn't going to be going to school anymore, she needed a place to stay. She couldn't go back to Lima. Not without something to go back to, and not without a way to not disappoint her parents.

But she also wasn't quite ready to go to New York. She had visited again to talk Rachel out of doing a nude scene in a student film, and it got her thinking more and more about moving there. She just needed something to push her into making a decision.

So, in the meantime, she started paying to stay on the couch at the apartment of one of the friends of her former cheerleading teammate who needed some extra cash. At least until she found out what she wanted to do.

Then she found out through Tina that Brittany and Sam were dating. That they had been dating. And Brittany hadn't told Santana about it.

Santana was beyond upset. She knew that it was highly likely that Brittany would start dating someone. Santana had even told her it was okay to do so. But the fact that she hadn't even told Santana about it hurt.

They were still supposed to be best friends. Add in the fact that it was Sam, who was Santana's ex-boyfriend, made it hurt that much worse. Sam was a really nice guy, and it scared the brunette that he may actually be able to keep the girl she loved when she couldn't.

Once again, Santana found herself going to Lima. She had bribed some of her old teammates at college to skip classes and help her put on a performance. She even convinced another lesbian on the squad to pretend to be her girlfriend to try to make Brittany believe that she had moved on and that things were going well for her, when in reality she was more lost than ever.

Santana planned to fight for Brittany. Even if they didn't get back together at this time, she didn't want the dancer with Sam. She was afraid she wouldn't have the opportunity to get her back some day if Sam was with her.

She should have known that Brittany would have seen right through her ploy. The blonde knew her better than anyone else in the world, and she could tell that Santana was still floundering for direction.

Santana thought she may have had a plan when Sue offered to have her start a job helping to coach the Cheerios to take over as head coach one day, but Brittany of course knew that wasn't part of Santana's dream. It would have been nice to be close to Brittany again, but only if they could be together. The blonde knew that they still needed to be apart so they could learn to grow and find themselves. Only Brittany could send Santana on the right path to fulfill her dreams.

She finally could make a decision.

She dialed her phone as she was packing clothes into her suitcase to get ready to go to the airport.

"Hello?" The sweet voice she still loved rang through her ear.

"Hey. I hope I am not interrupting your date with Sam." She didn't really care too much if Sam's night was ruined, but she did care if she ruined Brittany's fun at Breadstix.

"No, it's okay. You missed out, though. Sam's British accent really confused our waitress, and when he asked for more Coke she brought us a whole chocolate cake, so that was pretty nice."

Santana laughed. "Looks like I did miss out. Unlimited breadsticks and a chocolate cake is almost like heaven."

"Almost." The blonde almost sounded sad. Santana decided to get to the reason why she was calling so Brittany could get back to her fun.

"So, listen. I just wanted to thank you for what you said earlier. You helped me figure a lot of things out. I am heading to New York tomorrow. I don't really know what I am going to do there, but I am going to get a job and work my ass off to get my life started doing something that I am passionate about."

"That's great, Santana! I am so proud of you, hon." Santana could hear the smile in Brittany's voice.

"I wouldn't be doing any of it if it weren't for you. So when I am famous one day, just know that it will all be because of you." Santana felt so cheesy saying this, but she needed the dancer to understand how important she still was in her life.

"When you are famous it will be because everyone is finally seeing how totally awesome you are, not because of me."

"But without you pushing me to pursue my dreams, I wouldn't be getting ready to get on a plane tomorrow. So thank you."

"Well, you're welcome." There was a pause before the blonde spoke quietly. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you, too. But I will call you tomorrow when I get settled in and let you know how it goes when I tell Berry and Lady Hummel that they have a new roommate."

Brittany laughed. "Rachel is going to freak out that you actually decided to take her up on her offer. Do you think she even remembers it?"

"Probably not," Santana conceded. "But it's too late now! She would be way too guilty refusing me if I am already there, that's why I am not giving her a head's up that I'm coming," she snickered.

"Just try to be nice. We don't need you homeless. And don't go through all of their stuff when they're out!" The blonde knew her so well.

"No promises. But I'm going to let you get back to your dinner."

"Okay. Have a good night."

"You, too. Enjoy your cake."

"Oh, I will." Santana smiled, knowing Brittany would eat as much of that cake as she could.

"'Night, BritBrit."

"Santana?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you're going to do great in New York. I still believe in you."

Santana felt tears starting to collect in her eyes at the dancer's unwavering faith in her. "Thanks," she said quietly.

"Bye."

"Goodbye."

* * *

True to her word, Santana let Brittany know how things went with Rachel and Kurt. Needless to say, her former glee club compatriots weren't thrilled about her showing up on their doorstep. Once she reminded Rachel of her drunken offer to have Santana stay with them, the other girl reluctantly gave in. Lady Hummel was willing to let her stay as long as Rachel was okay with it. And so she was in.

Santana wasn't in New York long before she returned to Lima for Mr. Schuester's and Ms. Pillsbury's wedding. It still hurt seeing Brittany and Sam together, but she accepted that it was time to really move on. The dancer seemed to be enjoying her time with Trouty Mouth, although she couldn't understand why. But the brunette was willing to let it go and leave them to their happiness, since it was what Brittany wanted.

Even though the wedding was a disaster, the party ended up being pretty fun. Santana and Quinn bonded over their miserable love lives, and she enjoyed spending time with her friend. It had been a really long time since they had spent considerable time together with it just being the two of them.

Usually Brittany was always there to talk with them or somebody else was with them who could act as a buffer in case things got too hostile between the two dominant women. But that night, they just spent their time with each other.

Santana never expected to have sex with Quinn Fabray. And she definitely never expected to have the first person she had sex with after Brittany to be Quinn Fabray.

Not that she was complaining about it. Quinn was a beautiful girl, and after a few drinks in them it seemed like a fun idea. Not to mention, Santana was really horny after not having sex for months. She just never expected that the good little Christian leader of the Celibacy Club was willing to enjoy a roll in the hay with another girl.

It was an easy way, however, for Santana to get back on the horse, so to speak, and it was a good first step in truly moving on from Brittany. With Quinn, there were no strings attached. No expectation of a relationship, and, most importantly, no guilt. The only feelings Santana had for Quinn was a deep respect and friendship, and those would be the only feelings she had for her.

Surprisingly, the sex was pretty good, too. She could see why Puck wanted to go back for more in high school.

Santana woke up alone in the hotel the next morning to a text message notification on her phone. Santana was surprised to see the text was from Brittany.

 _I heard u & Q got a room last night- Brit_

 _Oh shit_ , she thought. Santana was a little panicked. She really didn't think about Brittany finding out about it. Not that it should be a big deal, since she knew the blonde and Sam were having sex. Brittany would have to know that Santana couldn't be celibate. But maybe she had a problem with her hooking up with Quinn.

 _Yeah. Is that ok?- Santana_

 _Y wouldn't it b?- Brit_

Santana was a little disappointed. Brittany didn't even seem to care that Santana had sex with another one of her best friends.

 _Thought u maybe didn't like that we hooked up- Santana_

 _Wait u guys had sex?- Brit_

 _Oh shit_ , she thought again. Guess Brittany didn't know they had sex.

Well, the cat was out of the bag now. As much of a fit as she threw over the fact that Brittany hadn't told her about Sam, she figured it was better if she was honest about what happened so the dancer didn't find out about it from someone else.

 _Yeah I thought that's what u txtd about- Santana_

 _I just thought if u guys were still in town we could do breakfast…- Brit_

 _So u guys really had sex?- Brit_

 _We were drunk. It seemed like a good idea at the time- Santana_

 _LOL I can't believe Q had sex with a girl- Brit_

 _I can't believe it either lol. She even went for round 2- Santana_

After Santana sent that last text, she got worried she may be oversharing. She had just automatically gone back to feeling like she could tell her best friend anything, forgetting that it may not be something they could talk about anymore.

 _Not surprised. U know how 2 treat a lady ;-) – Brit_

 _Lol glad to know- Santana_

She was glad Brittany seemed to be taking it well, but she really had to know if the blonde was okay with what happened. She didn't want anything to put strain on their friendship, or even Brittany's friendship with Quinn.

 _Is it ok we did?- Santana_

 _Yeah. I wan happy. Moving on with other girls will help- Brit_

Santana didn't know whether to be relieved or upset. Brittany had told her before to start dating, so she shouldn't be surprised that the other girl wasn't jealous over hearing about her having sex with someone else.

But she thought that since she still had so many feelings for the blonde and hated seeing her with someone else that Brittany might feel the same. She was glad that it didn't upset her, though, because she didn't want to do anything to cause the other girl pain.

 _Ok. Glad 2 know- Santana_

 _So did u want 2 do breakfast?- Brit_

 _Q left sometime in the night so it's just me. I'm game if u r- Santana_

 _Of course :-) – Brit_

Santana smiled. She was looking forward to meeting Brittany for breakfast. Things finally seemed like they were starting to improve for her. She had her best friend back, she had sex for the first time in a long time, and she really thought she could start to move on from the break-up.

Maybe when she got back to New York, she could start going out and find someone she could possibly start dating. For the first time in months, Santana felt like she had something to really look forward to.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Lots of stuff going on this chapter. Crammed in the rest of Season 4 and the first half of Season 5. Things are definitely starting to pick up, and after this the next part will be a lot more Brittana!**

 **As always, I appreciate your feedback! Let me know your thoughts. I don't even care if they are relevant to the story or not! I just like hearing from you all. Thanks for reading!**

Chapter 15

Santana's optimism from her decision to move to New York had faded as the days started to go by. Shortly after she moved in, she nearly got kicked out of the loft for trying to help Rachel out. She was just trying to be a good friend by telling the other girl about her sketchy, plastic boyfriend.

After Santana helped Rachel through her pregnancy scare, she was surprised that her roommates thought so little of her and were going to make her leave for making Brody uncomfortable. Without her persistence, however, Rachel still would have been with that Ken doll wannabe. She never would have guessed the guy to be a gigolo, but at least she did right thing about exposing him.

Things weren't great living with Berry and Lady Hummel. They had their problems, the biggest of which was the male escort situation, and Santana's personality definitely clashed with theirs. She didn't like them a majority of the time, and they didn't really care much for her. But regardless of her roommates' personal feelings toward her, she still saw them as her family and would be there for them even if they didn't want her help. And after a few weeks, they started to adjust to the new living situation.

The biggest issue was that the brunette still didn't know if she wanted to enroll in college around there, or if she wanted to pursue something in the performance arts. She knew she needed to be in New York, she just didn't know what she needed to be doing in New York.

She had gotten a job at a bar just to make money to help support herself while she tried to find out what she wanted to do in the city. But that was the only real good news she had gotten since she moved.

Santana and Brittany still kept in touch. She missed the blonde like crazy, but she knew that this separation was the best thing for them right now. She was just glad that they were starting to get their friendship back to more of where it used to be. The girls talked and texted on a more regular basis, and they started sharing more of what was happening in their lives. Santana still didn't want to hear about the dancer's relationship with Sam, but they talked about pretty much everything else.

It was a few weeks after she arrived in New York when her phone started ringing. Santana was alone in the apartment since her roommates had gone out for the evening. She saw Brittany's name pop up on the screen and smiled as she answered it.

"What's up, BritBrit?"

The only thing Santana could hear on the line was quiet sniffles. Her smile immediately faded as she became concerned. "Brit? What's wrong?"

"Santana." Brittany's voice was thick with tears. Santana really became worried.

"Brittany, what happened? You're starting to scare me, babe." Santana's heart was starting to pound in her chest with fear. Brittany usually didn't cry like this. At least not to the point where she couldn't talk.

"I just needed to hear your voice."

"I'm here, BritBrit. Please tell me what's wrong." She wanted to wrap the other girl in her arms so badly.

"There was a shooting at school today, and…" the blonde started.

"Oh my God, Brit! Are you okay? Are you in the hospital? I can be there by morning, just let me find a flight." Santana was frantic. She started grabbing things to throw in her suitcase as she was rambling.

"No, Santana. Santana!" Brittany interrupted her panic to get her attention. "I'm fine, I'm okay. You don't need to come, I'm okay."

Once the words sunk in, Santana sat heavily on the couch as tears of relief started to run down her face. "Thank God, Brittany. Oh, thank God." She rested her forehead against her free hand, trying to stop the shaking from the adrenaline overload she just had. Then she suddenly sat up straight, panicked again. "Wait, is Sam okay? Tina? Was anyone else hurt?"

"Nobody was hurt, sweetie. There were a couple of shots somewhere, but no one was hit. We don't even know who did it." Brittany sounded a little calmer now, but Santana could still hear the tears in the dancer's voice.

"Oh, Brit. I am so, so sorry you had to go through that." Santana grabbed the pillow on the couch, hugging it tightly to herself as she imagined it was the blonde in her arms. She was terrified to think about what she would have done if something had happened to Brittany.

"It was so scary, Santana. I was supposed to be in the choir room, but I had to go pee so when the shots went off I had to hide in a stall in the bathroom. I didn't have my phone with me, so I couldn't text Sam and see if he was okay. All I could think about was everyone in glee and how I wasn't there and how I knew Sam would be worried about me."

"I know, babe. You must have been frantic to get back to everyone, but you did the smart thing hiding." Santana was horrified at the thought of Brittany stuck without anyone to protect her. As much as she didn't like Sam being with the dancer, she knew that he would be there to keep her safe as well as he could.

"I know, but it was scary because I couldn't see anything and I couldn't talk to anyone to find out what was going on. And then I thought about you and I was so scared that I would never get to see you or talk to you again. I couldn't stand that, and I just prayed so hard to get out of there okay so I could hear your voice again." Brittany's voice broke as she started sobbing.

Santana fought off her own sobs, trying to be strong for the other girl. "It's okay, Brittany. Everything is fine. Nobody was hurt, and you can listen to my voice for as long as you need to, okay?"

"Thanks," Brittany said quietly.

"Do you want me to tell you a story? Do you want me to sing? Do you want me to tell you about what I found in Lady Hummel's drawers the other day? What do you need me to do? Tell me and it's yours."

"It doesn't matter. Just talk about anything." Santana could hear that Brittany's tears had slowed by now. She knew that if she kept talking long enough, the blonde would calm down enough to fall asleep.

So Santana talked. She told Brittany about what had happened that day, from her witty putdowns of her roommates over breakfast to her excursion to the Chinese restaurant around the corner for dinner. She told Brittany about the time she ate so much candy after Halloween when she was five that she got so sick that she peed her pants because she couldn't stop vomiting long enough to sit on the toilet to relieve her bladder. She told Brittany about when she went to buy her Valentine's Day present Senior Year and saw the stuffed unicorn in the claw machine at the mall that she just couldn't resist getting for the blonde, even though it took her 43 attempts.

Santana didn't know how long she talked for, but it had been awhile since she had heard any vocal responses from Brittany to her stories. She figured the dancer had finally fallen asleep.

"Brit? You still awake?" Santana didn't get a response. She whispered, "I am so glad you're okay. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Brittany mumbled. Santana's eyes widened. She wasn't sure if Brittany was actually awake and knew what she said, or if it was something she said in her sleep.

She decided to pretend it hadn't happened, and started talking about the time that Lord Tubbington stole Santana's panties when she was staying at Brittany's house. Santana talked until she knew Brittany's breathing had deepened from sleep, and continued to talk until her own eyes closed in slumber.

* * *

Santana found herself back in Lima a little while after the shooting at the school. Things had been going a little better for her in New York. She had started taking a dance class and meeting some new people. She had even started going on some dates. She hadn't met anybody she really liked yet, but she was getting out there. Rachel was driving her a little insane with her obsession over her "Funny Girl" audition, but she was getting happy.

Her relationship with Brittany had been improving day by day. After their conversation after the shooting, they had been talking on a daily basis. Brittany told her about the interview she had at MIT, and Santana couldn't have been happier for the blonde. The brunette knew that Brittany's super high SAT scores would help her get into a good college and show everyone how much of a genius the dancer actually was.

Then Trouty called her freaking out over Brittany's actions. The blonde had broken up with him, and although Santana couldn't fault this decision, she knew that it was strange that Brittany would break up with him since she hadn't said they were having problems. After Sam explained that the dancer was acting really strangely and even dropped out of competing at Regionals, Santana knew something was really wrong.

This was why she found herself sitting across from her ex-girlfriend in the other girl's bedroom trying to figure out what was going on. The blonde was definitely acting really strange, even for her, and it was scaring Santana. She had already turned off the camcorder from where Brittany was trying to record another episode of "Fondue for Two" and was now waiting for the blonde to explain why she just said that everything was going to change.

"I got an early acceptance into MIT," Brittany said quietly.

Santana didn't understand why the other girl seemed so sad by this news. She was happy that the blonde was finally getting the recognition she deserved for her intelligence. "Brit, that is so awesome for you! I am so proud of you!"

Brittany gave a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "They want me to go out there immediately."

"Oh." Santana immediately knew why Brittany was upset and acting so strange. "That's a lot of change really quickly. Are you scared about going out there right away?"

Brittany nodded, tears starting to come to her eyes. "It is just really fast. Like, my senior year the second time around was supposed to be my chance to fix everything I messed up the last time. And I didn't even get to do that. I didn't get to be the senior class president McKinley deserved, I didn't get to really fix my grades, and I didn't get to graduate high school. Again. It is awesome that I am like a super genius and really smart schools want me, but I have to leave the people that I love without really getting the chance to say goodbye."

Santana grabbed Brittany's hands with her own, rubbing her thumbs across the backs in comfort. "BritBrit, I know that things didn't go the way you wanted this year. I know I didn't help with things when I went away and then we broke up, and nobody was there to help you with your schoolwork or your campaign or anything else. I am so sorry I couldn't be there for you when you needed it and no one else would. As much as it pains me to say it, I am glad Sam could at least provide you the companionship you needed. But you have a huge opportunity with MIT. People are finally getting to see how much of a genius I always knew you were. And you deserve the chance to prove to the world how awesome you are."

Brittany looked down at their joined hands, letting out a shaky breath. "This is just not the future I had imagined for myself."

Santana squeezed the blonde's hands gently. "I know. And we both know that what I am doing now was not the future I had imagined for myself before I left Lima. But it is what is best for me right now. Just like going to MIT is best for you."

Brittany rolled her eyes up to look at the ceiling and took a deep breath, trying to fight off her tears. "I just really hate leaving everyone. And I can't even be close to anyone I know. I won't even get to be near you."

Santana felt tears starting to roll down her own cheeks. "I know it is scary leaving everything and everyone you love behind. It sucks more than anything. But it is part of growing up. And you know that no matter what, I will only ever be a phone call away. I will always be there for you when you need someone to talk to. You are still my best friend, and I've still got your back."

Brittany smiled at her through her tears. "Promise?"

Santana gave a little laugh and smiled back before unclasping her right hand from Brittany's left to link their pinkies together. "Promise."

Brittany unclasped their other hands in order to wrap her arm around Santana's neck to bring her in for a tight hug. Santana wrapped her arm around the blonde's back, rubbing it soothingly. They left their pinkies linked tightly between them, a symbol of their constant connection.

* * *

Shortly after Brittany had left for MIT, Santana found herself back in Ohio for Blaine's surprise proposal to Kurt. She was happy for the couple, but wasn't sure how well things were going to work out for them since they didn't do so well with their long distance relationship before. They were still part of her family, however, so she wished them the best.

Once she returned to New York, she found a new girl had started working at the diner that she, Rachel, and Kurt were working at. Santana found herself attracted to this girl, Dani, in a way that she hadn't been attracted to anyone else after Brittany.

It wasn't near the same level of attraction that she had for Brittany, but it was more than any of the other girls she had had encounters with since she and Brittany had broken up. It made her really nervous, because she was actually interested in trying a relationship with Dani.

It had been over six months since Santana and Brittany had broken up, so she figured it was past time to try a real relationship. The fact that Dani made her feel the way she was feeling was evidence enough that it was time to do more than casually date and hook up with virtual strangers.

She was finally starting to move past Brittany. She would always love her, but she could finally get along without her. The fact that Dani was a lesbian was a little scary, however. She hadn't been with another lesbian before, and she was worried that the dynamics might be different. It made her really nervous, but she was willing to risk it.

Not only was her personal life starting to look up, but her hard work was starting to pay off when it came to achieving her goals. She had shot a commercial for a yeast infection medicine. It was kind of embarrassing, but at least she had booked a gig. She had achieved some level of professional success before even Rachel, who was still obsessing over trying to land the part in "Funny Girl".

Not bad for the girl who didn't have a plan when she came to New York.

Brittany was even excited for her. They hadn't had much opportunity to talk since the blonde had gone to MIT. She was really busy getting settled in and learning the ropes around campus. They had talked only a handful of times, but from what Santana could grasp, the dancer had a lot of work to do to try to get up to the academic level she needed to in order to succeed in her classes. The last time they talked was when Santana told her about the commercial. Brittany had been proud of her, and told her that she knew she would get her big break soon.

It was a rare occasion when Santana, Kurt, and Rachel were all at home in the evening when it happened. Kurt got a phone call that started him crying. When he passed the phone to Rachel and wrapped the girl up in a hug while she listened on the phone, Santana knew something really bad had happened. When Rachel dropped the phone and collapsed in Kurt's arms, sobbing, she knew something had happened to Finn. She asked Kurt what was wrong, and he told her that Finn had died.

Santana panicked. She needed to get out of there right away. She grabbed her phone and jacket and ran out of the building. She didn't know where she was going, so she just started walking. She pulled out her phone and dialed without thinking.

"Santana! I was just thinking about you." Brittany's voice sounded chipper.

"Brit-" Santana's voice broke on a sob. She stopped walking and leaned up against the side of the building she was next to.

"Santana? Honey, what's wrong?" Brittany was clearly concerned now.

"Brit. Finn's dead," Santana said through her sobs.

"Oh my God. How? Are you with Rachel and Kurt?" Santana could hear the tears in the blonde's voice now. Strangely, hearing Brittany's tears made her own sobs start to ease as she wanted to try to be strong for the other girl.

"I don't know. Kurt got a phone call and just started crying before he passed the phone to Rachel, and she just collapsed after she heard. He was able to tell me that Finn died before I ran out. I just needed to get out of there." She wiped at the tears streaming down her face.

"I understand, I know. I wish I was with you right now. I know you didn't always get along with Finn, but he was still our family and you cared about him."

Santana looked up and let out a shaky breath. "Yeah, I did. And I know you did. I wish you were here, too. I could really use one of your hugs right now."

"Me, too. I can't believe this happened," Brittany sniffled.

"Will I see you at the funeral?" Santana really wanted the blonde to be there. She wasn't sure how she could make it through without Brittany.

There was a long pause before Brittany answered. "I don't think I can. I mean, I want to be there. For you and for Finn and for Rachel and Kurt and everyone. But I have only been here for a couple of weeks and I am so behind on everything and if I leave I will be that much further behind and-"

"Brittany," Santana interrupted. "It's okay. Really, I understand. And everyone else will understand, too."

"This sucks, Santana." Brittany was crying again.

"I miss you."

"I miss you, too. I wish I could be there. I want to be there."

"I know." Santana sucked in a deep breath, holding it for a second before releasing it. Her heart was hurting so badly, and she needed to do something to get her mind off of this. "I just wanted to let you know what happened, and to hear your voice. I am going to miss you at the funeral."

"I'm sorry," Brittany said quietly.

"Yeah. Well I will let you go, I know you are super busy."

"Okay. You know you can call me if you need to talk later. You don't have to try to keep everything inside." Brittany sounded concerned now.

"Thanks, Brit. I might just call you later."

"I will be here. Bye, Santana," the blonde said, sad.

"Bye."

Santana disconnected the call and stared at her phone a minute. She pulled up her contacts again and dialed.

"Hey," the girl greeted.

"Hey. Are you busy? Can I come over?" Santana was nearly desperate.

"Sure, babe. I'm free. Come on over," Dani answered.

Santana was relieved. She needed face-to-face contact right now. She needed someone to hold her and help her forget. "Great. I'm on my way."

She disconnected the call again and pushed off from the building she was leaning against. She made her way down the street, hoping that her new girlfriend could take her mind off of everything.

* * *

In the weeks following Finn's death, Santana's life was kind of in turmoil. She joined Kurt's band with Dani, Rachel, and the really awesomely fabulous Elliott, aka Starchild. That was pretty fun until things started getting tense with Berry again.

Rachel had indeed gotten the role of Fanny Brice. Like anyone doubted she would. But when Santana heard that they were auditioning for her understudy, she figured she would take a chance and try out.

She had the Yeast-I-Stat commercial on her resume, not to mention she had experience doing musicals with the glee club. Plus, she figured knowing Rachel may give her a chance to land it. Santana knew that if she got it, it would help in getting her performance career off the ground.

Rachel, however, was not happy about it. The fact that Santana impressed the director and got the part seriously irked her roommate, and it put Santana's hackles up. She didn't understand why the troll couldn't be happy for her. It wasn't like she was taking the lead away from her. It was a really good opportunity for Santana, and Berry should have congratulated her instead of going off and making accusations. Naturally Santana did what she always does when attacked.

She fought back.

The fighting between them caused tension in the band, and it led to Santana and Rachel being voted out. Santana couldn't believe her own girlfriend kicked her out of the band. Rachel even left the apartment to get away. Santana really didn't realize Rachel hated her that much.

She went from being on a high with having a girlfriend she really liked, having a cool band, and landing an understudy role on a major Broadway production, to being ostracized by her friends, losing her band, and being left out of something by her girlfriend. She couldn't even talk to Brittany much about it, because the blonde was so busy with MIT.

Their conversations had become sparse. With Brittany's school schedule and Santana working, doing the band, doing rehearsals for the play, and being in a relationship they were both so occupied that they didn't have as much time to talk. Santana was able to tell Brittany a little bit about everything that was going on over the past couple of months before they all returned to Lima for the last reunion before the end of glee club since they had lost at Nationals.

Since they hadn't had as much time to talk, Santana didn't realize how much MIT had changed Brittany. She barely recognized this suppressed, almost robotic girl in her ex-girlfriend's body. She had no passion, no spark, and was constantly working with an obsession that really scared Santana.

So Santana knew she had to bring the old Brittany back. She had to remind her where her passions lie, and get the spark back in her eyes. Thankfully, she was able to do that.

Santana was not expecting that by reigniting the passions Brittany had, she would also be reigniting the passion Brittany had for Santana. She was surprised when the blonde kissed her so sweetly and told her she knew now, more than ever, that she wanted to be with the brunette.

Santana's heart both soared and sank at the words. She had tried so hard to get over Brittany. She knew that she would never, ever be able to get over her completely, but she had gotten to the point where she could have a relationship with someone else and not think about what she lost with the dancer every day. And now Brittany was asking her to get back together, and she didn't really quite know what to do.

Except her heart really did know what to do. Brittany always sorted things out for her when she didn't know which path to choose. Just being with the blonde set Santana on the right path. Brittany walked out of the room after telling Santana that she would be waiting for her to make up her mind. Santana sat there for a few minutes thinking before she pulled out her phone and dialed.

"Hey, babe! How's Ohio?" Dani asked.

"Hey. Um, we need to talk," Santana said quietly.

"Oh." Dani sounded wary. "That doesn't sound good."

Santana closed her eyes and rubbed her temple with her free hand. "So, you remember I told you about my ex-girlfriend?"

"Yeah," Dani said hesitantly.

"Well, she came here for the reunion thing. I wasn't sure if she was going to, because she's been so busy, but she's here."

"Okay. Did you guys fight or something?"

Santana let out a breath. She really hated having this conversation. "No. She kissed me."

"Oh. Uh, okay? Did you, like, kiss her back, or…?" Santana could tell Dani was a little unsure about what was going on.

"At first, but then I stopped it." Santana felt guilty. She really did like Dani, and didn't want to hurt her.

"Okay. Well, you stopped it, so that's good, right?" Santana could hear the almost desperate hope in the other girl's voice.

"She wants us to get back together." Santana nearly whispered the words. She was met with a long silence.

"Do you want to get back together with her?" Dani finally asked. Santana could hear a slight tremor in her voice and she felt so guilty knowing she caused it.

"Yeah, I do."

"So, I guess you're breaking up with me?"

Santana rested her forehead in her hand, heart heavy. "Yeah. I'm so sorry, Dani. I just can't say no to the chance of being with her again. She's the love of my life. I mean, I've loved her since I was fourteen."

As she said the words, Santana knew they were true. She hadn't realized it at the time, but her heart was already longing for Brittany when they first met. She may not have allowed herself to fully fall in love until they were in glee club together, but she had loved the blonde since she first saw her dancing at Cheerios tryouts.

"Damn, that long, huh?" Dani chuckled a little, but Santana could still hear the sadness behind it.

"Yeah. I really am sorry."

"Listen, it's okay. We've only been dating a couple of months. It's not like things were going so great here recently with the whole drama with the band and everything. I obviously can't compete with what you have for her, and I understand that." Dani was trying to be light-hearted about it, but Santana knew she was hurt.

"For the record, I really thought it was over between me and her. I never would have started anything with you if I thought there was a chance we would get back together. I really do like you."

"And I really like you, too. But you love her, and she loves you. I get it."

"I know that it still hurts you, though. It hurts for me, too. I really don't like doing this to you. But thanks for being understanding about it."

"Yeah. Well, you should probably go tell your girl you want her back. Good luck." Santana could hear the dejection in Dani's voice that she was trying to hide. She didn't know what else she could do to comfort the girl, however, so she just let it go.

"Thanks. See you around?"

"Sure." Dani disconnected the call.

Santana put her phone away and took a minute to collect herself. She didn't know if everything was going to work out with her and Brittany. There were still a lot of issues to figure out between them.

Brittany wanted to leave MIT, but what would she do? Would she move to New York? What about Santana doing "Funny Girl"? Would they maybe go somewhere else together? Did Brittany truly want to get back together because she wanted to be with Santana, or was she just trying to go back to something that was comfortable because she wasn't happy at MIT?

Santana didn't know what the future held for them yet. Her mind wasn't sure about her decision, but her heart knew it was the right one. It had only ever been Brittany for her, and her heart was sure of that.

* * *

"I can't believe you got Sue to let me graduate." Brittany was still ecstatic over getting her high school diploma. They were in Santana's old bedroom, cuddled on the bed. Brittany was still dressed in her cap and gown, refusing to take it off after the ceremony earlier that day.

"You know I would do anything to make you happy. Even dealing with that spawn of the devil." Santana tightened her arms around the blonde as she placed a kiss to her neck.

"You have made me the happiest girl in the world. I can't wait until we go on our trip and go to New York. I am so, so happy you said yes."

Brittany ran her fingers up and down Santana's arm. The brunette was reveling in being able to have them touch like this again. It had been nearly nine months since they had been able to do this. Prior to these nine months, they had barely gone a few weeks without this kind of contact in over four years. Santana didn't realize how much she missed just being in Brittany's arms and the innocent touches and caresses they shared.

"I am so happy you wanted me back. I still can't believe you wanted us to get back together. And I can't wait to start a new life with you." Santana lifted her head from Brittany's shoulder to place a soft kiss on the blonde's waiting lips. She pulled back, looking lovingly at her newly reinstated girlfriend's face.

"I never stopped loving you, Santana." Brittany reached up to tuck the brunette's hair behind her ear and caress Santana's cheek.

"Even when you were with Sam?" Santana looked down, uncomfortable, before looking back up into unwavering blue eyes.

"I loved Sam, but not the way I love you. I could never love anyone the way that I love you, Santana. Sam was there when I needed him, but he could never be you." Santana felt her heart nearly burst with the love she felt. Her eyes started to well up with tears, and she blinked them back, looking deeply into Brittany's loving eyes.

"I love you so much, Brittany. It's always been you." Brittany smiled before placing her fingers under Santana's chin to lead their mouths together.

Their lips glided softly across each other at first, but the kiss quickly deepened. Brittany cupped Santana's face as her tongue demanded entrance into the brunette's mouth. She quickly complied, and their tongues met with hunger, sliding wonderfully across each other. Santana moaned into Brittany's mouth. Then she felt a tickle on her forehead and nose from the other girl's tassel on her cap.

She broke the kiss, laughing. "You're going to have to lose the cap, babe. Your tassel is making my nose itch."

Brittany removed the cap and threw it across the room, reaching for the giggling brunette again to bring her back into a kiss. They kissed hungrily, mouths crashing together, teeth nipping slightly before lips and tongues would soothe the bites. Santana moved to straddle the blonde, bringing her center against the other girl and grinding down. She gasped as tingles of desire shot through her at the contact.

Brittany brought her hands to Santana's hips and ground them down against her, tugging on Santana's lower lip lightly with her teeth before she released it and started kissing her way down Santana's neck. Santana threw her head back to give her better access, cupping the back of the blonde's head to show her appreciation.

Suddenly, Brittany brought her hands back up to Santana's shoulders and abandoned kissing her neck to push her back slightly. Santana looked down in confusion. Brittany placed a quick, soft kiss against her lips before pulling back.

"We should stop," she said breathily.

"What? Why?" Santana really was confused. She thought Brittany was just as into it as she was.

Brittany smoothed Santana's hair over her shoulder, giving herself a moment to calm down before she looked sincerely into Santana's eyes. "We just got back together, Santana. We've been apart for almost a year. You just broke up with someone else. We should probably not jump right back in bed. Not that I don't want to, because I really, _really_ want to. But I think we should probably take it a little slow."

Santana let out a frustrated breath and let her forehead drop against the blonde's. She closed her eyes and collected herself before she pulled back up to look at the other girl. "You're right. As usual." Santana laughed a little. "It is going to be hard, because I _really_ missed being able to touch you."

Brittany nodded emphatically. "I missed it, too. But we will be going away soon, and we will have all the time in the world to make love again and again. And we can make our next first time be really special."

Santana smiled at her girlfriend, happy beyond belief. "It will be perfect, BritBrit. I know that we will have the rest of our lives with each other, so I can wait a little longer to make love to you."

Brittany grinned up at her, eyes sparkling. "We can still cuddle and make out, but no scissoring yet."

Santana rolled her eyes, maneuvering herself so she was no longer atop the blonde. She lay down next to her with her head on Brittany's chest and her arm draped over her abdomen. "Fine, no scissoring," she sighed.

"I love you so much, Santana." Brittany pressed a kiss into Santana's hair before leaning her cheek against her head contentedly.

"I love you, too, Brittany. More than anything." Santana closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of Brittany and memorizing the feel of her in her arms again. She couldn't remember the last time she was this happy. Her dreams appeared to be coming true again at last. Santana never wanted this feeling to end.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: This chapter is so cheesy. Seriously, it is bad. But it is kind of just the set up for the times ahead.**

 **Having said that, I kind of change some things here. Glee did a horrible job about explaining Brittany and Santana's absence when they did the time jump in season 5. We got very little Santana for the rest of the season and almost no Brittany, and they clearly couldn't have taken a 10 month vacation because that is not realistic or even financially possible for two teenage girls who are not extremely rich. So I tried my best at giving some sort of reasonable explanation as to what really happened during Part 6 of this story.**

 **Now I know that there are some things that I write over the next few chapters that aren't necessarily realistic, but I figured that since I am writing in the Glee universe that I could do what I wanted to make it work (since that is what they did on the show anyways).**

 **Thanks to everyone for continuing to read. The chapters will feature a lot more of my own stuff since we have less canon Brittana interaction to cover now. Please let me know what you think! And as always, I appreciate all of the favorites, follows, and reviews!**

Part 6- Summer 2013 to Spring 2014

Chapter 16

It had been one of the best summers of Santana's life. The girls had agreed to postpone their trip until the fall in order to take care of things at home first, and to have some time to reconnect before they took off for weeks to see the world.

Brittany needed to formally withdraw from MIT and get all of her stuff to move it back to her parents' house in Lima. Santana needed to head back to New York and talk to her boss at the diner to see if it was okay if she could take some time off and have a job when she came back. And Santana really wanted to show the city to Brittany to give her an idea of what her life had been like there.

Santana returned to New York upbeat, but alone, not long after the graduation ceremony at McKinley. She was happy that she and Brittany were going to be together again soon, and she was happy that she had sorted things out with Rachel and she had given up doing "Funny Girl".

She was going to take this time to concentrate on her and Brittany. And she was going to take the time this summer to save up some extra money and be with her girlfriend before they took off on their vacation.

It was a few weeks before Brittany could join her in New York. It took a little longer than the blonde had expected to withdraw from MIT and get everything sorted since they tried to get her to stay. They had tried to slow down the process to convince her to stay, but ultimately they gave in.

Once she had gotten her stuff back to Lima, she spent a couple of weeks there with her family and Lord Tubbington since she knew it would be awhile before she saw them again. Santana talked to her every day, often several times a day, anxiously awaiting the day the blonde would arrive in New York.

When she finally arrived, they spent the few months happily together in the city before they were planning to leave. They did rekindle their intimate relationship while in New York. Since they had decided to put their trip off for a few months, they both knew they couldn't wait that long to physically express their love for each other.

The loft was not the ideal place for a sex life, however, since the amount of people that were living there or visiting at any given time made it difficult to be alone. Not to mention that having sex on the couch all of the time wasn't very romantic. They took advantage of the rare times when they were home alone to have rushed, though satisfying, sexy times.

Rachel's show ended up experiencing some issues and rehearsals were postponed, so she visited in Lima for awhile. This gave Santana and Brittany room to spend time in the loft without it being quite as crowded.

Santana told Rachel that they wouldn't use her bedroom, but she figured what the other girl didn't know wouldn't hurt her. It was too hard to fit two girls on a couch every night, particularly when Brittany wanted to get a little aggressive during their sweet lady kisses. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up to gets her mack on in private with her girl, so as soon as Rachel was out the door she and Brittany moved their stuff in.

She did make sure she didn't use Berry's sheets, though. She didn't dislike the girl that much. Plus, she was afraid that there might be some remnants from the man-whore that weren't sanitized away from the sheets and she wasn't going to take that chance.

Brittany was excited by New York, and loved Santana showing her all of the sights. Santana even introduced her to Dani. That went better than she had imagined, since Brittany knew that Santana was still in love with her even when she was with Dani. The blonde wasn't too jealous over the other girl, and Dani could see how happy Santana was with Brittany so she was genuinely happy for them. Brittany was particularly dominant that night in bed, however, and Santana had one of the best nights of her life being thoroughly claimed by her girlfriend.

It seemed like it wasn't long before the summer was coming to an end and the loft was filling up. Blaine was moving in with Kurt to start NYADA in the fall, and Rachel returned to start rehearsals again and to get ready for the fall term at NYADA as well. Sam was moving to the city to try his hand at modeling, and was offered a place on the couch since Santana would be leaving with Brittany soon. Since the girls needed a place to stay for a few weeks before they left that wasn't overflowing, Elliott offered to let them stay at his apartment until they left for Greece.

Finally, around mid-September, the girls prepared for their trip to Lesbos Island. Santana was told by her boss at the diner that she could have her job back when she returned as long as she wanted it. Apparently there were always openings there, so he was constantly looking to fill positions.

She had worked enough that summer to pay for the plane tickets she bought and then some. Plus, she had shot another Yeast-I-Stat ad and made sure she actually got paid cash for that one. And she still had money left from her college fund from her parents, so they would be fine for a couple of months to get away without emptying their bank accounts completely.

Brittany could barely contain her excitement as they boarded the plane. Santana couldn't help but smile at her girlfriend's enthusiasm after they got into their seats.

"You are so adorable, BritBrit," she said, scrunching her nose at the blonde.

"No, you are!" Brittany exclaimed, booping the brunette's scrunched nose before giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Just think, babe. In a few short hours we will be in Greece, soaking up some sun on the beach and looking super hot in our bikinis." Santana smiled lecherously at Brittany.

Brittany wriggled her eyebrows at the brunette. "If you treat me nice, you might even get to help me take my bikini off when I get too hot."

"Mmmm, sounds good to me." Santana leaned over for another kiss. Brittany broke away quickly, bouncing in her seat from excitement again causing the brunette to giggle at her antics.

"Did you know that there are many factors that are taken into consideration to determine the maximum thrust needed for lift off?"

"Wanky," Santana smirked. Brittany just looked at her, and Santana rolled her eyes. "I guess you're talking about the plane?"

Brittany nodded. "I was." Then she smirked as well. "But I can definitely use the same principles to give you a good lift off, too."

Santana laughed, lacing her fingers with the blonde's hand as she looked around her to see out of the window. "Well, maybe you can calculate our speed during takeoff with your genius brain. We should be getting ready any minute."

Brittany squeezed her hand, causing Santana to look at her again. "I can't believe we are actually getting ready to leave. It seems like it's taken forever to get to this point."

"Mhmmm." Santana leaned her head back against her seat, face turned to her girlfriend. She was content just to watch the excitement play over Brittany's face for the whole trip. There was a time when she never thought she would get to be like this with the other girl again, so she wanted to soak up every moment she could.

Brittany's face softened as she looked at Santana, and she brought up her free hand to cup Santana's cheek and rub her thumb gently across it. "I am so happy right now. We are finally getting to start our life together."

Santana smiled brightly into blue eyes. "It is just the beginning of the rest of our lives, Brit. And what a way to start it. I love you more than anything."

"I love you, too." Brittany leaned in for a kiss. They lingered, leaving their lips pressed together, smiling into the kiss, until the plane started to move. The plane got ready for takeoff, and Brittany and Santana looked forward to the first part of the beginning of their journey together with excitement.

* * *

Lesbos was definitely not a lesbian paradise. The island was crawling with tourists, mostly families looking to enjoy the beaches and historical sights the island had to offer. Regardless, the place was absolutely beautiful.

Santana was initially a little apprehensive about traveling to Greece. First of all, there was the whole language barrier. She knew that the country depended on tourism, so there should be plenty of people who spoke English, but she couldn't help but be nervous about not being able to understand anyone while they were there. She really didn't want to get frustrated with someone when she couldn't understand their directions due to a language barrier and have Snix show up and land her ass in front of the cops.

She was also nervous about being openly affectionate with her girlfriend. This whole vacation was supposed to be about her and Brittany being able to get away and spend quality time together to kind of make up for all of the time they spent apart both before and after their break-up.

But she wasn't sure if the Orthodox culture of the country would welcome two women kissing in public. Even if they were smoking hot. Santana had come so far from her time in the closet and was proud of who she was, but she really didn't want her and Brittany to end up as the victims of any hate crimes in a foreign country.

Brittany, on the other hand, was not nervous about their trip. She had been practically bouncing the whole flight. Santana had been able to fall asleep after a couple of hours, but Brittany stayed awake the whole time. She didn't even seem jet-lagged once they had arrived, hungrily taking in their surroundings from their trip to the hotel from the airport.

Santana started to relax a little bit once she arrived and the people she communicated with spoke English very well. The blonde's excitement started to rub off on her by then, and she was really looking forward to spending the next couple of weeks exploring this beautiful island. Not to mention exploring even more of the beautiful girl with her.

Brittany could sense Santana's apprehension about being affectionate in public. Santana was grateful that her girlfriend was content to link pinkies or arms in a friendly way instead of lacing their fingers together intimately while walking down the street. She was also grateful that the blonde refrained from kissing or caressing her face in public.

Santana could tell when Brittany wanted to kiss her, because the blonde would get that look in her eyes and bite her lip as she looked at the brunette's mouth. It was hard for her to resist grabbing the dancer and kissing her passionately when she would look like that.

This ended up making their sex life better, however, since they would go nearly all day without any sort of intimate contact. The sexual tension would build throughout the day as they reined their feelings in until they exploded out in a frenzy once they returned to their hotel room. It reminded Santana of their sophomore year, when their innocent touches and looks got them so worked up throughout the day that when they got home from school they practically ripped each other's clothes off.

Santana had a particular love/hate relationship with the days they spent at the beach. It was hours of torture to watch her beautiful, sexy, blonde girlfriend in a bikini and either glistening with sweat from the sun or dripping with sea water after taking a dip to cool off.

Putting sunscreen on Brittany at least gave her an excuse to put her hands on that gorgeous body, and she found her hands lingering long after the lotion had been rubbed in. It seriously turned her on, particularly when she noticed the dancer's breathing pick up or when she heard a delicious moan from her as her hands trailed over bronzed skin. The situation would only worsen when they switched roles and Brittany would then torture Santana with her hands all over the brunette's taut body.

One of these times, Brittany's hands started dipping dangerously low into the waistband of Santana's bikini bottoms as she lay on her stomach while the dancer applied lotion to her back. Santana bit her lip on a moan and clenched her thighs together to try to relieve some of the intense arousal that started to build in her core. She could hear the blonde's breathing becoming ragged, and she knew if she didn't stop it soon the rest of the people sharing the beach with them would get quite a show.

"Babe, you're going to have to stop, otherwise we are going to get arrested for public indecency because I won't be able to prevent myself from doing what I am thinking about doing right now."

Brittany's fingers dug into Santana's lower back as she groaned in arousal. "You can't say something like that to me and expect me to want to stop."

Santana reluctantly rolled over to her side to face Brittany, causing her girlfriend to move to her knees to the side of her. Santana noticed the blonde's hand twitch as she prevented it from reaching out to caress her curves. She could see the desire in Brittany's eyes, and she almost gave in and grabbed her lover right there on the beach.

"Brit, you wanted to come spend the afternoon at the beach instead of me making use of some of the accessories we brought with on you like I wanted to do."

"It isn't like I didn't want to do that, too. I just thought that we could have used a little break from the hours we spent in bed this morning. Not to mention last night before we fell asleep."

"And I understand that. But you wanted to come out here where we can't get our cuddle on, so you are going to have to deal with it."

Brittany pouted. Santana didn't know if she wanted to laugh or pout herself at the blonde's reaction. Her girlfriend's pout was a powerful thing. With it, she could get Santana to do just about anything. And just now, her pout was making the brunette think seriously about grabbing all of their stuff and racing back to their hotel room to make her forget all about what was making that expression on her face.

But another part of her thought that Brittany deserved the torture of sitting out here where they couldn't do anything since the dancer was the one that wanted to get out of the hotel in the first place.

"I really want to kiss you right now, baby." Brittany's pout worsened as she let her fingers play with Santana's hand.

Santana knew that one good thing about them being out in public and not being able to touch was that she could build up their arousal to the point where their sex was explosive when they finally did get to touch. She leaned up to whisper in Brittany's ear. "Well, if you can wait a little longer, we can get in the beach time that you wanted so badly earlier. And then we can go back to the room and I can break out the one toy we haven't tried yet and let you ride to your heart's content."

Santana heard Brittany's gasp and felt the shiver that ran through her body at the desire the thought of using the strap-on gave her. It was something they had bought shortly before their departure, and they hadn't gotten around to using it yet. They had enough pleasure using their hands and mouths, so it hadn't been something they felt they needed to get to right away.

But the toy had grabbed Santana's attention earlier that day as she was getting ready, and she was struck by the intense desire to see Brittany come apart while thrusting into her with the toy while both of her hands caressed the rest of her body. Clearly, based on the blonde's reaction, it was something that she wanted as well. Santana started to pull back to see the desire written on her girlfriend's face, but was stopped by Brittany's hands grabbing her shoulders and pulling her back so the dancer could whisper in her ear.

"That sounds like heaven. But only if I get to use it on you after." Now it was Santana's turn to shudder as desire hit her hard. The image of Brittany above her, thrusting into her in long, sure strokes with the toy was almost too good to wait for.

Her girlfriend knew how to tease her, as she saw by the smirk on the blonde's face as she pulled back. Santana knew that both of them would be thinking about what was to come later in the hotel. But they had agreed to stay at the beach for awhile first. What the hell was she thinking?

She flopped onto her back, letting out an exasperated sigh. Brittany chuckled above her before lying down on her back as well. Santana reached over blindly until she felt the other girl's hand and linked their pinkies together. They lay there for several moments, letting their bodies calm down as they enjoyed just being next to each other.

"I have had a really good time," Brittany said, breaking the silence. "Seeing all of the ruins and the beaches and being with you. I couldn't have imagined anything better. It really is beautiful here."

Santana smiled and turned her head to look at her girlfriend. Brittany's eyes were closed, her face peaceful, so she studied her profile, enamored by the blonde's beauty. "It is beautiful here. But _you_ are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

Brittany's mouth curled up in a smile, nose crinkling as she opened her eyes and turned to look at the brunette. "Well, now I know you're lying. Because I know you've looked into a mirror before."

Santana laughed and rolled her eyes at her girlfriend's silliness. "You are so cheesy, BritBrit." Brittany just giggled and shrugged. "Regardless of my own hotness, however, you are definitely the most beautiful girl in the world."

Brittany shook her head at that, the corners of her mouth still turned up in a small smile. "Nope, _you_ are the most beautiful girl in the world, Santana."

"Ugh, are we seriously going to argue about this? Because you are never going to convince me that there is anyone more beautiful than you." Santana gave a little tug on the blonde's pinky with her own to emphasize her point.

"We can agree to disagree, then, because I know that I will never think that anyone or anything is more beautiful than you. I mean, at least maybe until we have kids, but even then I don't think they will be able to surpass you." Brittany's eyes danced over Santana's face as if to compare their future children's beauty to the brunette's.

Santana's heart clenched a little at the thought of having babies with the woman beside her. She had never really dared to dream about that back in high school. They had been so young and things were so messed up back then.

But she knew now that she wanted to be with Brittany forever, and the idea of spending the rest of their lives with each other and raising kids together was something she couldn't help but dream of now. She was so happy to hear that the blonde was thinking of the same things that she was.

She knew the moment had shifted from the playful banter into something more deep. She smiled lovingly at the dancer and waited until blue eyes looked back into her own brown ones. When they finally did, she saw surprise at first from the intensity of emotion she knew poured out of her own eyes. Then that surprise softened into a loving acceptance of Santana's feelings, and Brittany smiled back, content.

"I love you so much, Brittany."

"I love you, too."

They lay there for several moments, looking into each other's eyes. Santana felt completely loved at that moment, and she wished she could take her girlfriend into her arms and show her how loved she felt. She started to get a little aroused again, and she knew it was starting to show when she saw the sparkles dance in the blue eyes before her.

Brittany bit her lower lip, which caused Santana's eyes to become fixated on the blonde's mouth. Brittany released her lip only to wet it with her tongue. Santana's desire started heightening, and she looked up into blue eyes again only to see they had become darkened with desire. Santana's breath caught in her throat as she felt Brittany's pinky start to caress her own.

"So, you still want to stay at the beach?" Brittany's voice had become husky. Santana was beyond ready to get back to the hotel by now.

"Nope, I think I've had enough sun for today." She eagerly sat up and started to grab their things.

"Good. Because I seem to remember you promising me a ride." Santana's throat went dry and she froze as she felt Brittany's hand caress down her thigh while she spoke. Brittany sat up and giggled as the brunette started to grab their things faster before joining in to help.

It was no time at all before they were rushing back to their room so Santana could keep her promise. And it was so worth cutting their beach time short to see the blonde in ecstasy above her, and when Brittany returned the favor Santana nearly melted. It was so worth it that Brittany didn't argue again at the times when Santana preferred to stay in their room for sweet lady kisses during the rest of their time in Greece.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: We are moving on to Hawaii now, yay! This is a long one and there is a little bit of drama but a lot of good stuff. Again, I know some of the things I am writing in this part aren't realistic, but it is Glee so it works (at least I think it does). I really like this chapter, so hopefully you all do as well :)**

 **Appreciate all of the reviews, follows, and favorites. Send me a message or you can get in touch with me at my tumblr (same name). I love hearing from you guys, even if it is just to talk about something random!**

Chapter 17

Santana and Brittany finished up their two weeks in Greece and prepared to go on the next leg of their journey. There was a brief snag before they could set off for Hawaii, however, when Brittany thought she lost her passport. They tore through all of the luggage and the drawers in the room for hours, only to discover that she had zipped it in a pocket of her purse that she normally didn't use for safekeeping.

Santana was so grateful her girlfriend hadn't lost her passport and had to be detained until she could get issued a new one to get back home. After that little panic-filled delay, they were finally on their way to Hawaii.

They had decided to stay on the big island, but planned on taking trips to some of the other islands as well. They quickly discovered that they left one paradise for another, although this one Santana felt decidedly more comfortable in. Being back in the US had her more open to the idea of touching and kissing Brittany in public, and she was happier with not feeling the need to hide her love for her girlfriend. She knew that the blonde was happier being able to hold her hand or give her a kiss when she wanted to.

They had so much fun exploring the beaches and the sights. Santana particularly loved the beauty of Maui, and Brittany loved seeing all of the different fish up close while snorkeling. The brunette couldn't help but feel her heart expand with happiness every time her girlfriend would come up from the water squealing in excitement at some new fish or creature she discovered.

She liked nothing more than watching Brittany get so much joy out of life. She wanted to do everything she could to keep the blonde smiling like that every day for the rest of their lives.

It seemed like only two days had passed, yet they were coming up on the end of their two weeks in Hawaii. The closer it came to the date they were scheduled to go back home, the more withdrawn Brittany became. It started to worry Santana, since she wanted her girlfriend to be happy about going home with her.

The fact that the blonde seemed to be the opposite had her scared that maybe Brittany was having second thoughts about them moving to New York together. When there were only a few days left before they were supposed to fly out and Brittany's mood seemed to not improve, Santana decided to try and figure out what was going on with her normally upbeat lover.

They had just returned to their hotel room after a nice dinner at a seafood restaurant. The food had been wonderful and the atmosphere was romantic, but Brittany had been withdrawn and quiet most of the meal. No matter what Santana did to draw the blonde into conversation, she only ever got a few words and a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes in return.

Brittany sat down on the bed to remove her heels, and Santana moved to lean against the dresser. She started playing with her hands nervously.

"Brit, what's the matter?" Her voice was soft and she wasn't sure at first she even spoke loud enough for Brittany to hear her.

"What do you mean?" Brittany's voice was quiet, and Santana looked up to see the blonde avoiding her gaze. Her heart sunk in her chest at the other girl's avoidance.

"It's just that you seem to be getting unhappier the closer we get to going home. Do-" Her voice broke for a moment, and she swallowed to try to get control over it again. She took a deep breath, looking down at her hands before continuing. "Do you not want to move to New York with me?"

"What?! No! I absolutely want nothing more than to move with you!" Brittany vehemently responded, and Santana was encouraged enough by her response to look up and meet her eyes. Brittany had turned her head to look at Santana in surprise at the brunette's question. "Why would you think I wouldn't want to go with you?"

Santana let out a sigh of relief that Brittany wanted to still be with her. But she was still concerned because something was clearly bothering her girlfriend.

"Well like I said, you just seem to be getting more sad the closer we get to leaving to go back home. I just thought that maybe it was because you were having second thoughts about being with me."

She searched the blonde's face, looking for any clue as to what was causing her to be upset. If she was making her unhappy, she would do whatever it took to fix it. She didn't know what she would do if she lost Brittany again so soon after getting her back.

Brittany chuckled and got up from the bed to make her way over to Santana. She grabbed the brunette's clasped hands, pulling them apart to hold them in her own. She smiled sweetly at Santana, blue eyes searching brown.

"Baby, I know that I want to be with you more than I want anything else in the world. I mean, we've been all over each other ever since we got back together, and I still can't seem to get enough of you." Santana chuckled, knowing that the feeling was mutual. Brittany's smile faded and she looked at Santana imploringly. "Please, never doubt that I love you with every part of me, and know that I never, _ever_ want to be anywhere else but with you."

Santana looked into her girlfriend's steady gaze, seeing nothing but truth and love in those blue eyes she loved so much. She knew that they loved each other, but after all of the drama they had gone through, she still couldn't help but be afraid that something would pull them apart. After seeing and hearing Brittany's commitment to her, however, she now knew that, no matter what happened, they were going to be together forever.

She pulled the blonde's hands so they rested on her waist before bringing her own up to loop around the back of Brittany's neck, pulling her closer so their bodies came into contact. Brittany pressed a kiss to Santana's cheek then rested their foreheads against each other.

"I love you so much, babe. I was scared I did something to make you unhappy. Please, tell me what is wrong," Santana begged.

Brittany pulled her head back a little, looking down and biting her lip before looking back up into Santana's eyes. "You've done nothing wrong. You've been perfect and everything has been so perfect and I just really don't want to leave yet. I want to spend more time here with just me and you and having fun in paradise where we don't have to worry about anyone else and their problems."

"Is that all? You just don't want to go home yet?" Santana laughed in relief. "Why don't we just stay longer then?"

Brittany's face lit up. "Really? You wouldn't mind?"

Santana gave the blonde a quick peck on the lips. "Of course I wouldn't. Like you said, it has been so perfect and I would love to spend more time here with you."

Brittany squealed in delight, hugging her arms around Santana's waist and lifting the smaller girl off the floor. Santana giggled at the other girl's antics, and when the blonde put her back down and started kissing her, she eagerly reciprocated. Brittany pulled back after a final peck against the brunette's lips, grinning like she won the lottery.

"I love you, Santana."

Santana smiled back, so unbelievably happy at this moment. "Mmm, I love you, too." She led the blonde back over to the bed, seating them both down and she tucked her one leg under her other so she could face her lover to talk about their plans. "So I figure that since it is already mid-October we can go ahead and stay here for like another month. We can easily change our plane tickets, and we should have enough money to cover the extra days here. Then we can head back to Lima to visit our families for Thanksgiving and hang out there for the holidays. That way you can be there to give Lord Tubbington his yearly tuna fruitcake since I know how much you love that tradition. How does that sound, babe?"

"It sounds perfect. Just perfect. You are the best girlfriend in the world, baby." Brittany crinkled her nose, smiling and shrugging her shoulders up to her ears and Santana almost died at the cuteness.

She couldn't resist leaning forward to kiss the sweet lips of the blonde. She had intended to only give her a light kiss, so she was surprised when Brittany tangled her hands in her hair to pull her even closer and deepen the kiss. Arousal quickly shot through her body as she felt her lover's tongue dart into her mouth to start caressing her own. She moaned into Brittany's mouth as their tongues dueled, and her hands went to the other girl's waist as she leaned into her body.

Brittany brought her right hand around to tilt Santana's jaw to angle their mouths so they could deepen the kiss even further while she buried her left hand in dark locks. Santana's heart started to race, and she knew she would have to break the kiss soon to take a breath. But the blonde's mouth felt so good against her own that she would almost rather go without taking another breath than remove her mouth from this ecstasy.

Brittany's hand moved from her jaw down her neck and came to rest in between her breasts, and Santana knew that she could feel the pounding of Santana's heart against her hand. Santana started rubbing small circles with her thumbs against the other girl's waist, wishing she was touching bare skin.

Brittany finally broke the kiss and Santana whimpered at the loss before they both gasped in air. "Honey, I need you out of that dress," Brittany husked as she moved the hand still buried in Santana's hair down to reach the top of the zipper at the back of the dress.

Santana quickly reached back to help as the blonde started to pull the zipper down, and soon the brunette slipped her arms free and the dress dropped to pool at her waist. Brittany quickly moved to unclasp Santana's bra and slid the straps off before tossing it to the floor, baring Santana's breasts.

Santana gasped as she felt her girlfriend's hands cup her breasts, squeezing them gently before running her thumbs over her erect nipples. Suddenly, she became desperate to get the blonde naked beneath her. She grasped at the hem of Brittany's dress, pulling it up her thighs and whimpering in frustration when it was impeded by the other girl's ass against the mattress.

"Naked. Now," she demanded, standing up and pulling Brittany with her as the blonde chuckled at her desperation. Santana's own dress slid the rest of the way down as she grabbed the bottom of the other girl's dress again and lifted it over her head, dropping it in a heap at their feet. Santana pulled down the taller girl's panties while Brittany removed her own bra, and she soon stood naked before the brunette's hungry gaze.

Santana looked on in awe at the beauty in front of her, eyes bouncing over tight abs, perky breasts with pink nipples begging for attention, firm thighs, and the small patch of hair just above Brittany's folds. She would never get her fill of looking at this woman. She looked back up to see the other girl's gaze raking over her own body with a look of pure lust. She became even more turned on seeing her girlfriend so enraptured by her curves.

Santana grabbed Brittany's shoulders and turned her so she could push her back onto the bed, crawling up the blonde's body as she scooted further up onto the bed. She brought their mouths together in a clash of teeth and lips, nipping at Brittany's lips and sucking them between her own before asking for entrance to the blonde's mouth with her tongue. Brittany quickly opened her mouth to let their tongues meet and moaned into Santana's mouth.

She was so hungry for the blonde, and she stroked her tongue deeply into the other girl's mouth as she straddled Brittany's waist and rested her weight back slightly so she could knead Brittany's breasts with both hands. This brought her center into contact with the dancer's abdomen, and she moaned at the contact. Her hips gave an involuntary roll, so she broke her mouth from Brittany's and slid down so her lips could kiss and suck Brittany's breasts as she kneaded and rolled them with her hands.

Brittany's body arched up, pushing her chest further up into Santana as she moaned in pleasure.

"You feel so good, baby. Don't stop," Brittany muttered. She brought her hands around to caress at Santana's back, digging her nails in slightly as the brunette became more aggressive in her attentions to her breasts.

Santana wanted to make Brittany shatter beneath her in pleasure. It was her singular purpose at the moment. She brought her left hand away from the firm breast it was squeezing and slid it down the tanned abs to slide through Brittany's wet center.

"Mmmm, you're so wet babe," she murmured against soft skin as the blonde's hips rocked from her touch.

"Please, Santana. Fuck me!"

Santana growled in pleasure with her mouth wrapped tightly around Brittany's nipple. She loved when she could make her lover lose her control. But she wanted to be in charge this time. She wanted to build Brittany up again and again before finally letting her tumble over the edge in release.

She released the dancer's nipple with a pop and looked up into her flushed face, taking in the sexy vision. It was hard to deny her lover's demand, especially when she looked like that, but her desire to draw this out was stronger.

"Oh, I don't think I'm quite ready to do that yet, BritBrit." She gave her girlfriend a devilish smile. Brittany's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

For the past couple of years, Santana had usually let Brittany be the more aggressive one in their lovemaking. Most times, Santana couldn't resist her lover's begging and demands because she was eager to make her feel good.

There were a few times, however, when Santana resisted what Brittany wanted in favor of drawing out her pleasure, teasing and working the blonde up so high before she finally let her come in a powerful, drawn out orgasm. Brittany bit her lip in anticipation of this, eyes becoming hooded with desire as she laid back in preparation to let the brunette have her way with her.

Santana triumphed at her lover's acquiescence. She moved her hand away from the blonde's folds to rest at her hip and her thumb rubbed gentle circles against the soft skin just beside the hard bone. She moved back up to press kisses at the corner of Brittany's mouth, on her cheeks and jaw and chin, before running her tongue and teeth down the dancer's neck.

Once she reached the part of her neck that joined with the shoulder, she bit down and sucked in a mouthful of Brittany's skin hard enough to leave a mark. Brittany moaned beneath her, tangling one of her hands in Santana's hair and tugging it slightly while her other hand ran her fingernails down Santana's back. Santana became more aroused at the slight pain knowing that she was making her girlfriend lose even more control.

She released the flesh from her mouth, placing a kiss against it before moving down to nip and lick across Brittany's collarbone. She suddenly sat up, confusing the other girl for a second before she grabbed one of the blonde's hands and brought it to her mouth. She kissed Brittany's fingertips one by one before taking her index finger into her mouth and sucking it.

Brittany hissed in pleasure as she ran her tongue around the finger as she pulled it out, placing a gentle bite to the pad before she turned the blonde's hand to place kisses against the palm and up to the inside of her wrist. She sucked gently at the pulse point on Brittany's wrist before nipping, licking, and sucking her way up the inside of the dancer's arm. Santana repeated the same actions on her lover's other arm, noticing the blonde's breathing becoming more erratic as she kept up her teasing.

She moved back up to kiss Brittany deeply again, her tongue dominating the other girl's, caressing deeply before pulling back again to move down to the dancer's chest. She kissed and sucked around Brittany's breasts, purposefully avoiding contacting the firm mounds and causing her girlfriend to whimper in frustration.

Finally, she licked the underside of one breast, tasting the salty sweat that had started to glisten on Brittany's flushed skin. Brittany moaned at the contact, bringing her hands up to grab Santana's head to press it further against her boobs. Santana quickly stopped her lover's hands and placed them up above the blonde's head, holding them in place with one hand. She brought her other hand back down to run her fingertips lightly across Brittany's stomach, causing the skin to twitch at the feather-light caress.

Santana continued to tease around Brittany's breasts, placing the occasional lick or kiss against the underside or side of the mounds. The blonde began to writhe beneath her, whimpering.

"Please, Santana. I need you," she moaned out. Santana was starting to hear the desperation in Brittany's voice and she decided to take it up a notch.

She moved and suddenly sucked one of Brittany's nipples into her mouth, rolling it with her tongue as she sucked hard.

"Fuck!" Brittany barked out, back arching up. The blonde's hands struggled to break Santana's grip pinning them to the bed, but the brunette pushed them down letting her girlfriend know to keep them in place. She released Brittany's nipple and took it gently between her teeth and flicked her tongue against it. Brittany's hips started to rock, seeking contact with something as she groaned.

Santana continued her light caresses against her lover's stomach, moving slightly higher and lower with each change of direction. Soon, she was running her fingertips across the small strip of hair that led the way down to Brittany's wetness before moving her hand back up to tickle across the blonde's ribs and bottom of her breast. She cupped Brittany's breast this time and squeezed, then rubbed her thumb across the nipple as she continued to tease the other one with her tongue.

Brittany's whimpers grew louder and her hips were rocking harder, and Santana knew she was getting pushed to the edge. Particularly when the blonde started begging non-stop in whispered sighs.

"Please. Please. Please touch me. Please, I need- God, please…"

Santana felt herself getting wetter at her girlfriend's pleas for relief. She smiled against Brittany's breast and started kissing her way down her lover's defined abdomen. She let go of the other girl's wrists, trusting that she was too worked up to move them from their spot at the moment.

The blonde's chest was heaving up and down with her frantic breathing. Santana looked up as she moved down to see Brittany's brows furrowed, eyes closed tightly with her mouth open as she panted.

She nipped and kissed her way over Brittany's hipbone, and the blonde spread her thighs apart to allow Santana to settle between them. Santana licked teasingly close to Brittany's center causing the other girl's hips to buck up. She moved her way further down, kissing and sucking down the inside of one thigh until she got to the dancer's knee. She kissed the top of Brittany's knee before moving to the other one where she worked her way slowly up, kissing and licking the inside of the other thigh toward her girlfriend's center.

She could smell Brittany's arousal, and it was hard to not dive into it immediately. She stopped when she got close to the blonde's center and pulled back slightly, taking in the sight of the swollen pink tissues in front of her. Brittany's folds were glistening with her arousal. She was practically dripping she was so wet. Santana placed a light peck to Brittany's center, causing her to moan and jerk slightly before pulling back again.

She looked up at her girlfriend. Brittany had moved her hands so that one was cupping a breast and the other arm was draped across her eyes.

"Look at me, Brit." The demand was clearly not meant to be ignored, and Brittany immediately moved her arm from her eyes and lifted her head to meet Santana's brown eyes with her lust filled blue.

"Oh, God," Brittany panted.

"Don't take your eyes off of me. Nod if you understand." Brittany nodded quickly.

Santana placed a long, slow lick from Brittany's entrance up to her clit. Brittany groaned and twitched at the contact. Santana wrapped her arms around the dancer's toned thighs and buried her face into the blonde's wetness.

"Fuck, Santana!" Brittany fought against rolling her eyes up and throwing her head back in ecstasy. She kept her gaze locked to Santana's as she was commanded, and the brunette rewarded her by sucking on her clit.

Brittany's hips started grinding onto Santana's face. She moved her mouth down to thrust her tongue inside of her lover and her nose pressed into the blonde's clit as she moved her tongue around the blonde's inner walls. Brittany started whimpering more, and Santana removed her tongue to lick around her center, not coming into contact with her clit to let her cool down for a few seconds.

Brittany moaned in frustration again, and then Santana moved back to lick her clit with her flattened tongue once.

"Baby, please." Brittany was back to begging again.

Santana placed another kiss to Brittany's center as she brought her left hand around to slide two fingers abruptly inside. Brittany screamed out as her walls clenched down slightly on Santana's fingers, and this time she couldn't fight off throwing her head back in pleasure.

Santana kept her fingers still inside of the blonde and moved up so her hips were behind her hand. Brittany wrapped her legs around Santana's hips and Santana lay over her lover, breasts crushing together.

She grabbed Brittany's face and forced the blonde to tilt her head back down. "Look at me, Brit."

Brittany opened her eyes and met Santana's gaze again. Her beautiful blues were glazed over in lust, and Santana could tell she could barely focus on what she was seeing. So she stayed still for another minute, laying her forehead against the blonde's while Brittany focused on her. Brittany's eyes became a little more clear and she smiled up at her.

"I love you so much, Santana." Her voice was breathy, as she still was breathing rapidly from being worked up so high.

Santana rubbed her nose against Brittany's before replying. "I love you, too." She pressed a hard kiss against Brittany's mouth as she tilted her hips back and withdrawing her fingers slightly before thrusting forward into her lover.

Brittany moaned into her mouth and her eyes fluttered shut briefly before snapping back open to look into Santana's eyes as the brunette continued to use her hips as leverage to thrust her fingers in and out of her sex.

Brittany was so wet and tight against Santana's fingers. Santana was incredibly aroused by now, and every time she thrust she put some pressure on her own center against her hand. She wanted to make this all about Brittany, though, so she fought against her own pleasure. She curled her fingers up, finding that special spot and Brittany gasped.

Santana pulled her head back enough to watch Brittany's face as she continued to thrust, hitting that spot every time she moved. The blonde's mouth was held open in an "o" and her brow furrowed but she continued to keep her eyes locked to Santana's. Santana could feel Brittany's walls start to clench slightly against her fingers, so she picked up her pace and tilted her hips slightly to get better leverage to bring her lover over the edge hard. The heel of her hand rubbed against the blonde's clit with each thrust.

"Come for me, Brit."

"Fuuuuuck, San… tanaaa!" Brittany's head started to roll back, but Santana held her face with her hand to keep their gazes locked. Brittany's back arched up into Santana's body and her hips rocked as her walls clenched rhythmically down on the brunette's fingers, clamping them together hard as her intense orgasm raced through her body. Her body shuddered, she held her breath, and her muscles clenched all over her body, legs tightening against Santana's hips and fingers digging into the sheets.

Santana continued her thrusting as Brittany continued to climax, feeling more wetness run down her fingers onto her hand. Finally, Brittany's body started to come down and Santana slowed her motions, stopping once the blonde took in a shaky breath.

She held her hand still, giving her lover a moment to collect herself. Santana placed gentle kisses all over Brittany's face as the other girl fought to bring her breathing under control. Once the blonde's legs dropped from around her hips and she brought her arms up to wrap around Santana's back, she gently slid her fingers out causing Brittany to whimper slightly. She kissed Brittany's lips with light pecks as she settled into the blonde's body, wrapping her arms around Brittany's sides cradling her.

"You are so beautiful," she told the blonde. "Watching you fall apart like that is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen."

Brittany gave a tired smile, caressing Santana's back lovingly. "Give me just a minute and I promise I will return the favor."

Santana grinned, proud of herself. "You don't have to, babe. We can just sleep if you're worn out." Santana was beyond horny, and really wanted Brittany to touch her. But if Brittany was too exhausted after that, she was content to just fall asleep with her girlfriend in her arms.

Brittany looked up at her, shaking her head. "No, I definitely don't want to sleep yet. I want to watch you come first." She brought their lips together, starting off in a slow kiss. Their lips softly grazed each other, then Brittany grabbed Santana's lower lip between her teeth, pulling it slightly before running her tongue across it and releasing it. Santana inhaled sharply, and Brittany brought her hands up to grasp the back of Santana's head to bring it closer to kiss her deeply.

Their kiss quickly grew into an extremely passionate one. It appeared that Brittany had definitely recovered after her intense orgasm when she suddenly rolled them over so she was on top of Santana. Santana couldn't help but moan when Brittany started sucking on her neck as she straddled the brunette.

Brittany brought her hands up to massage Santana's breasts, rolling the nipples between her fingers. Santana arched up into her lover's hands. She was so aroused that she was afraid that she would come just from her girlfriend playing with her tits.

"Brittany. No teasing."

Thankfully Brittany just nodded and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth before moving down her body, placing kisses as she worked her way toward her destination. Apparently she was still ceding control of their lovemaking tonight to Santana, so what Santana said she would follow. And Santana had never been more grateful for that than at this moment.

Brittany slid Santana's soaked panties down her legs and discarded them quickly. Santana spread her legs and Brittany settled between them. She hesitated for a moment, and Santana looked down to see what the delay was. She found blue eyes watching her face, and once Brittany was satisfied that she was looking at her she gave a slow lick up Santana's core.

"Ungh, Brit." Santana threaded the fingers of her right hand into the blonde's hair and pulled her close to her center, directing her where she wanted. Her girlfriend took the hint and sucked Santana's clit into her mouth, tonguing it while she sucked.

"Oh, fuck!" Santana's hips started to roll and her grip tightened in Brittany's hair as she pulled her even closer. She knew it had to hurt, but she was too far gone to care at the moment. Brittany moaned into her center, causing her to groan at the sensation.

Santana couldn't keep her eyes on her lover anymore. She threw her head back, panting hard. She was getting close already. Getting Brittany off had worked her up so much that it wasn't going to take much longer at all to make her climax. Her whimpers must have clued the blonde in to her approaching orgasm, because Santana suddenly felt one of Brittany's fingers slide inside of her.

Brittany thrust her finger in and out as she continued her ministrations on Santana's clit. Santana was moaning loudly now.

"God! I'm so close, babe." Brittany added a second finger and curled them up, licking Santana's clit furiously as she continued to thrust. It only took a couple of thrusts to push Santana over the edge.

"Briiittttt! Oohhhh, shhh-itttt!" Santana's hand pushed Brittany's face harder into her clit. She remained conscious enough to try not pull her hair any harder, but her back arched up hard and her hips bucked up as she came hard against her lover's mouth and fingers. Her eyes clenched tightly shut as she continued to climax.

Brittany stopped moving her fingers but continued to lick her gently as she started to come back down. Santana shuddered slightly with aftershocks, and Brittany's licking started to become too much so she pulled the blonde's mouth away from her sensitive tissues.

Brittany kissed the inside of Santana's thigh as she gently withdrew her fingers, causing Santana to shudder slightly again.

"Come here." Santana's breathing was starting to even out, and she held her arms open for Brittany to crawl up into them. As the blonde settled into her arms, she placed a kiss to Brittany's forehead. They lay in each other's arms, legs tangled together as their exhaustion started to take over.

Santana moved them gently around so she could pull the blankets over their bodies before bringing Brittany's head back to lay on her shoulder, wrapped up in each other once again as sleep started to claim them. Santana felt a gentle kiss against her collarbone and she hummed contentedly just before she slid into blackness.

* * *

The next month passed quickly for them in Hawaii. They got their fill of tourist activities and lounging around the beaches. Santana even arranged for them to go horseback riding on the beach one afternoon. Horses weren't really her thing, and if she was going to be riding something she would much rather it be her girlfriend, but she did it because she knew that Brittany would love it. She was right, and after that excursion Brittany couldn't stop going on and on about how great the day was and how romantic Santana was. That look of pure joy and awe on her lover's face made it all worth it to her.

Their extended vacation was overall wonderful. Not that it didn't have its rough moments, however. Like any normal couple spending practically every minute of the day together for weeks on end, they had some tense moments and small spats. But they never had a problem resolving their issues and could barely stay irritated with the other for more than fifteen minutes.

Santana realized how much they had matured over the past couple of years. Before, when she was irritated with Brittany she would shut the other girl out and not talk to her. Brittany, normally wary of confrontation, would put her foot down with Santana and walk away until she calmed down.

Now, whenever they were upset with each other, they would openly talk about their issues with each other. Brittany would make sure she got her point across to Santana, and Santana would make sure she listened to Brittany and tell the blonde her own point of view, and then they would usually resolve what was bothering them easily enough. Santana definitely appreciated the make-up sex and/or cuddling.

Santana could never have imagined that being with Brittany like this would be this good. She had dreamed hesitantly of a future life with Brittany when they were together senior year. She was still so scared of what the world held in store for her back then, and she had a hard time imagining where she and the blonde would be so she could never get a clear picture in her head. The best she could imagine was having a house together somewhere, but the details were fuzzy.

Now, having been pretty much living with Brittany for the past five months or so, she could easily imagine a beautiful future with the blonde. She could admit to herself that being on vacation, away from the real world and responsibilities, may have made their relationship seem easier. That was why she was a little nervous about their impending return back home. But she couldn't help but also believe that, with as great as everything has been with the blonde since they got back together, their relationship would continue to grow even better.

Brittany's attitude had greatly improved since they decided to extend their stay in Hawaii. Santana hadn't once seen the other girl pulling into herself like she was before or becoming sad again.

Now, on the morning before they were due to fly back to Ohio, Santana woke up to find herself wrapped around Brittany's back, her face buried in blonde hair. She inhaled her girlfriend's scent deeply and squeezed her arm around the other girl's waist pulling her closer into her body. She felt Brittany start to wake up at the movement, so she started pressing gentle kisses to her lover's back and shoulder to gently bring her to consciousness.

"Mmmm, good morning baby," Brittany murmured, her voice hoarse with sleep. Santana couldn't help but think that waking up with Brittany every day for the rest of her life would be one of the most perfect things that could ever possibly happen.

"Good morning, BritBrit."

She pressed a final kiss to the blonde's shoulder as Brittany turned in her arms to face her. The dancer lay on her side, wrapping her own arms around Santana to pull her closer and brought her mouth to the brunette's to give her a proper morning kiss. When she pulled away, Santana was a little alarmed to notice a hint of wariness in the blonde's eyes.

In fact, Brittany's gaze seemed to be focused on Santana's chin instead of holding her eyes. Santana watched as her girlfriend worried at her lower lip and a hesitant look came over her face. She became more nervous, and she unconsciously tightened her arms around Brittany as if she was afraid she was going to disappear.

"I need to tell you something." Brittany finally looked up to meet Santana's eyes. She could see the apprehension in the blonde's gaze. Brittany was definitely nervous about something.

Santana didn't want to jump to any conclusions, especially since Brittany had made it clear that she wasn't going to want to break up, but she couldn't help but be convinced that she really wasn't going to like what her girlfriend was going to tell her.

"Okay," she prompted hesitantly. She was glad that her voice didn't sound as nervous as she felt.

"You know when I went back to MIT after graduation to withdraw and stuff and it took longer than I thought it would?" Santana nodded, wondering where this was going. "Well, the reason it took so long is because one of the researchers there wanted to talk to me."

Brittany hesitated, and brought her hand up to push Santana's hair behind her ear before she started twisting a lock of it around her finger. The blonde fixed her gaze on what she was doing, and Santana could tell she was nervous about continuing.

"Brit, I'm not really sure what you're trying to tell me here. Please just say it."

"He was telling me that he works as a consultant with some big companies and the government and stuff sometimes, and that when he works through those contracts he makes some pretty good money." Santana could feel her face contort in confusion. She really had no idea what was going on. She was grateful Brittany continued with her explanation. "He said that he knew of some projects coming up soon that he thought I would be a really good fit for. He said that it didn't matter if I had a degree since I was a genius, and all these people would want me to do is help do some complex calculations and work with some other people to give my ideas on whatever they're working on."

"That's really awesome, babe! See, I'm not the only one impressed by the genius of Brittany S. Pierce." Santana grinned at her girlfriend, proud of her. Brittany gave a little smile, but she still clearly remained apprehensive, much to Santana's surprise. "I don't understand what the problem is. I mean, you said you didn't want to go back to MIT, right?"

Brittany shook her head. "No, I don't. But he said I could make like $10,000 for like a couple months of work. And with us going to be moving in together in New York and everything, I know we could really use money and we need to try to save a lot so we can afford a nice place. So I told him that when I got back from our trip that I would get in touch with him so he could set up a meeting with me and the people he knows so I could start doing consulting work."

"Okay." Santana could deal with this. It was definitely not really what she would have imagined coming out of Brittany's mouth, but she still didn't really understand why the other girl was acting so weird about it. "That is a lot of money, and we could definitely use it to start our new life together. But Brit, if you don't want to do math all day long, you don't have to. We will be fine without it. If it is something you want to do, then that's okay. I mean, it would just be like you have a job. We can come home to each other after work every evening and tell each other about our days and be like an old married couple."

Brittany smiled at that, but then she sobered. She looked at Santana guiltily. "He said I would have to work at MIT to begin with, since most of the places he works for rely on the facilities there for their work."

"Oh." Santana turned her head to look at the ceiling.

She knew things were going too well. Something was going to come crashing down. It was inevitable.

She had been looking forward to starting her New York life with Brittany so much. She had imagined them looking for an apartment and finding the perfect place, having lunch dates with their friends, and Brittany being there to celebrate when she finally got her big break. Now it looked as though she had been getting ahead of herself.

"It would only be for a couple of months. He said that getting my foot in the door would get my name out there and then I could take jobs as I wanted to and I would probably be able to set my own schedule and stuff." Brittany almost sounded desperate, trying to convince Santana that it would be okay. "I promise that it will only be for a couple of months, then I will be in New York and we can afford a place and everything."

Santana let out a breath through pursed lips, trying to hold it together so as to not panic her girlfriend. She blinked away the stinging at the back of her eyes and turned back to the worried blue eyes in front of her.

"Okay." She gave a little smile, knowing that it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I mean, it is a good idea. If it is something you want to do, you should do it. It isn't like a couple of months are too long to wait. But just so you know, I do still have money from my college fund so we could afford to get by with that and my paycheck from the diner. And if I book any more commercials I would get more money from that, too."

Brittany untangled her hand from Santana's hair and cupped her cheek, caressing it with her thumb. "I know, but I don't want you to feel like you have to take care of me. I want to be able to contribute to our life together and help support the both of us. And right now, this is the best opportunity. Besides, my brain never shuts off as far as math is concerned, so I might as well make the most of it, right?" She chuckled.

Santana nodded. She brought her hand up to grasp Brittany's hand that was caressing her face, pulling their joined hands between them to kiss the back of the blonde's fingers before tucking them under her chin. "I am just really going to miss you."

Brittany frowned. "Don't pout, baby. I am going to miss you just as much, if not more. And I will be thinking about you every second of every day and counting down the time until we can be together again."

"You'll be thinking about me even when your genius brain is doing all of these ridiculously insane math equations?" Santana teased.

Brittany nodded adamantly, her face still serious. "I always think about you, even when my brain is doing something else. My mind is usually always constantly thinking about a lot of different things at any certain time, but math and you are pretty much always a given to be in the mix."

"Seriously?" Brittany nodded. "God, that must be exhausting. I mean, I kind of figured that you had a lot going on up in there, but I never thought it was like that. I don't even know how you can handle all of that."

"You helped a lot." Brittany smiled at her, but Santana's face scrunched up in confusion.

"How did I help?"

"Well, you helped with my schoolwork when it was hard for me to concentrate. But just being around you helps calm my brain down. For instance, right now, with you lying naked next to me and your skin pressed up against mine, you are really all I can think about." Brittany smirked at her.

Santana grinned and tilted her head cheekily. "Glad I can be of service, my lady." She scooted closer to press their bodies together even more and gave her girlfriend a lingering kiss. Brittany responded eagerly, sliding their lips over each other before pressing their mouths together firmly one more time and pulling back.

"So are you really okay with me going back to Boston for a couple of months?"

"Since I know that it will only be a couple of months and then we can start the beginning of the rest of our lives together, then yeah. I'm okay with it. And I am really proud of you, too." Brittany flushed with pleasure and smiled at her. "Do you know when you are going to have to go to Boston yet?"

"Not yet. He said that he will get in touch with the companies after I let him know when I get back. So it depends on when they need me to start."

"So we may have awhile before you have to go?" Brittany nodded. "At least we should get to spend more time together before you have to go. We should have some time to prepare for it at least. And maybe we can spend some more time in New York before you have to go or something."

"I promise we will be together in New York soon. I want that so much for us. I love you more than anything, Santana."

Santana smiled at her girlfriend's loving words. "And I love you more than anything too, Brit." It looked as though her dreams were still going to come true.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Okay, I have to admit that I am kind of disappointed in the lack of response to the last chapter. I really thought it was a good one and I liked it. But, moving on!**

 **This chapter has a lot of different things going on since we are finishing up Season 5. I really was trying to give some explanation as to where they were for so long, and I also tried to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why Brittany showed up in New York not knowing where Santana was or why it would seem like Santana returned to New York without her girlfriend. Hopefully I did a decent job.**

 **Thanks for all the favorites, follows, reviews, and just reads in general. I would really love to hear from you all though!**

Chapter 18

Santana enjoyed the holidays with Brittany. Christmas the previous year had been pretty lonely for her, even though she had spent it in New York with Berry and Kurt. It was the first Christmas since freshman year of high school that she had spent without being able to see Brittany, and she had hated it. This year more than made up for the previous year's heartache, however.

Thanksgiving had been spent between both the Lopez and the Pierce homes. Santana's parents had been thrilled to see her, since it had been about five months since she had been home which was the longest she had spent away from Lima since she graduated.

They spent a good deal of time catching up about all of the things Santana and Brittany had done and seen while they were traveling. The Lopezes had a small dinner the day before Thanksgiving with her parents and Brittany, though, since her abuela was going to be over on the holiday and wouldn't come over if Santana and Brittany were there.

So they spent Thanksgiving Day with the Pierces. Pierce and Whitney were excited to have them, and Brittany's little sister kept them entertained by telling them all they had missed in the Pierce home while they were away. Pierce kept getting confused about where they had gone, and they had to keep reminding him that they had been on vacation in the first place and not at school. Whitney enjoyed teasing Santana about the Yeast-I-Stat commercials, but Santana knew that she was proud of her for landing the spot in the first place. Santana could see how ridiculous the dialogue in the commercials were, so she could laugh along.

She and Brittany spent time between both of their parents' houses over the weeks leading up to Christmas. Dr. Lopez was busy working most of the time, but Maribel was working less and so Santana tried to spend a lot of time with her mom. She knew her sexuality was a source of strain between her mother and abuela, so she enjoyed the fact that her mom wanted to spend quality time with her. And she was so grateful that both of her parents were welcoming of Brittany and their relationship.

The Pierces were also supportive of Brittany's relationship with Santana. She knew that they mostly just wanted Brittany to be happy, and couldn't care less if what made her happy was being in love with another woman.

As much as Santana loved her parents and enjoyed being able to be back at her childhood home, she enjoyed staying at Brittany's house more. Her girlfriend seemed to light up being back around her family, and especially with being reunited with Lord Tubbington. Santana loved watching the excitement the blonde exuded spending time with her family and her cats, and Brittany became even more excited the closer Christmas got.

Santana and Brittany had decided that, even though this was their first Christmas being back together, they wouldn't spend a lot of money on gifts for each other. They had spent a lot of money on their trips to Greece and Hawaii, and neither of them was actually earning an income at the moment. They needed to save a lot in order to be able to afford a place once they moved to New York because, even with the promise of Brittany's consultant paycheck, living in the city wasn't cheap and the diner didn't pay that well.

It was incredibly hard for Santana to not go out and buy her girlfriend everything she wanted though, because she really wanted to give Brittany everything. Brittany kept telling her that it was enough that they could be together for the holidays and wake up in each other's arms.

Santana ended up getting Brittany some new crayons and a picture frame with her favorite snapshot of the two of them in Hawaii. Brittany got Santana a t-shirt that she had made commemorating their trip. It said: Brittana World Tour 2013 and it had a picture of them in Greece on it. Santana absolutely loved it. Despite the lack of expensive gifts, it was really just perfect to spend the whole holiday with her beautiful girlfriend.

So the time spent back in Lima for Thanksgiving and Christmas ended up being great. They made it through New Year's Eve, making sure to share a sweet kiss at midnight.

It was a couple of weeks into the new year before Brittany heard anything back about doing consulting work. They had been starting to talk about possibly going back to New York while they were still waiting to hear, because they had already been in Lima for over six weeks and didn't want to keep mooching off of their parents for much longer.

They were cuddled up on the couch watching a movie in Santana's parents' living room when Brittany's phone rang. Santana could tell it was an important call and paused the movie while the blonde spoke to whoever was on the line. The other girl got up from the couch and walked into the other room to talk. It was several minutes before Brittany returned after finishing the call. The blonde sat back down next to Santana on the couch and faced her.

"So that was the company my old colleague at MIT had recommended me to. They are really interested in having me do some work for a big project they are working on. Apparently they are some sort of aerial space company or something."

"I think you mean aerospace, Brit."

"Yeah, that. Anyways, they want me to help them on their new project doing some calculations and stuff. They won't exactly tell me all what it would involve, because it is a big secret I guess and they don't want me to know the details if I won't take the job. But they want to meet with me at the end of next month." Brittany's hands were clasped in her lap, and she looked down at them nervously as she spoke.

"Okay. That makes sense. Does it seem like a job you would want to do?" Santana didn't want Brittany to feel like she was forced into anything just to make a paycheck.

"From what they could tell me, yeah it seemed pretty interesting. It definitely seems like something I could do. I mean, they're not asking me for the meaning of life or anything." Brittany looked up and smiled at that, causing Santana to chuckle.

"I would never doubt that you could do it, babe. You are a super genius, after all. I just don't want you to feel like you have to take the job if you don't want to."

Brittany grabbed Santana's hands then, caressing the backs with her thumbs. "I know, and I won't do it if it doesn't seem like something that I would like to do. I still just don't like the thought of leaving you for any length of time."

Santana frowned at Brittany's pout. "I don't like it either, BritBrit. But it isn't a bad thing for you to do. And it won't be for that long." She hesitated as she got an idea and thought it over for a second. "Do you know when the job would start?"

Brittany nodded. "They said the project starts in mid-March. I would need to be in Boston for the meeting, and if they like me and I decide to take the job then I would probably just end up staying until the work starts since I would be working with people at the labs at MIT. And the project would last for about two months, but maybe a little more."

Santana took that information in and turned her head to face the still paused television as she contemplated.

Brittany must have thought she was upset, however, since the blonde spoke again trying to reassure her. "I don't have to do it if you really don't want me to, but I wouldn't be away for too long. I would be done and in New York before you know it."

Santana turned back to the other girl, squeezed her hands and smiled comfortingly at her. "No, it's fine Brit. I wasn't upset, I was just thinking."

"What about?" Brittany tilted her head questioningly, and Santana couldn't resist leaning forward to give her girlfriend a quick peck for her cuteness.

"Well, I was just thinking that we have about six weeks before you have to be back in Boston. And if you are most likely going to take the job, because, I mean they would have to be insane to not want you, then maybe I should just plan on going to Massachusetts with you for a little while."

Santana could see Brittany's face start to contort into a grin, and her blue eyes lit up. "Are you sure you don't want to go back to New York? Don't you want to get back to the diner and stuff?"

Santana grinned at her girlfriend. "The only place I want to be is wherever you are, Brittany."

Brittany finally let her grin take over her face, and she pulled Santana into a fierce hug. "You are the best, most awesome girlfriend ever!"

Santana laughed, wrapping her arms around the blonde and squeezing tightly. "Don't you forget it." She turned her head to place a kiss to Brittany's neck. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Brittany pulled back from the embrace, keeping her hands on Santana's shoulders. "So what exactly did you have in mind to do for the next six weeks?"

"Since neither of us wants to stay in Lima much longer and there isn't really any point in going back to New York for a little bit before going to Massachusetts, I was thinking we could maybe take another little trip."

Brittany started bouncing up and down, acting like a child in her excitement. "Where are we going? Where are we going?"

Santana grabbed Brittany's hips to stop her from bouncing, laughing at her lover's antics. "My body hasn't adjusted to this winter weather after spending so long in warmer climates, so going south sounds good to me. I was thinking maybe we could go down to Disney World for a week or so."

"Oh my God, really? That would be awesome, baby!" Brittany really was excited now, and couldn't stop herself from squealing. "We could see Minnie and Mickey and Goofy and the princesses and go to the castle!"

Santana just nodded, smiling and scrunching her nose up at the other girl. Brittany wrapped her arms back around her and started kissing the side of her face in loud smacks. "Best. Girlfriend. Ever," she said in between kisses. She pulled back again, dropping her arms from around Santana's shoulders to bring her hands down to rub the brunette's forearms. "So what is the plan for the other five weeks?"

"I thought we could drive down there and take our time. Maybe stop a few different places and sight-see. Then we could do Disney for a week and hit any other spots in Florida we may want to go before making our way back up here. Then we could get us set up with a place to stay in Boston and go ahead and fly out there and get you settled in and prepared for your meeting. Then I could just stay with you until you are done or until I am needed back in New York."

Brittany bit her lip a little, and Santana could tell she was worried about something in the plan. She tensed, hoping that Brittany didn't say she wanted Santana to go back to New York sooner or something. "Are you sure we are going to have enough money to do all of this stuff? I don't want us to blow through our savings just so you could take me to Disney."

Santana thought about it for a moment, recalling how much money she had left in her savings and thinking about how much another trip would cost them. "Well, maybe we don't spend so much time sight-seeing on the road. We could go down to Disney next week and then come straight back. Then maybe we could fly out and visit Quinn for a couple of weeks since we haven't seen her in a long time. And head up to Boston after that."

Brittany smiled into Santana's eyes, and Santana couldn't help but smile back. "I think that sounds perfect, Santana. And I think it would be really nice to go see Quinn."

"Sounds like a plan then." Brittany nodded in agreement. "Okay, well let's get back to this movie now that we've got our future figured out. I wants to get my cuddles on."

Brittany giggled as she settled herself on the couch to cuddle against Santana's side, resting her head on the brunette's shoulder with their arms wrapped around each other. Santana didn't pay too much attention to the rest of the movie after she hit play. She spent most of her time running her fingers through blonde hair or caressing her girlfriend's soft skin. At least until Brittany turned and started kissing her. Then they just made out until the movie's credits started to roll.

* * *

They had taken their trip down to Florida, and Santana loved seeing Brittany's never-ending enthusiasm as they explored the Disney parks. She knew she would never regret spending some more money to take this trip after watching the blonde light up every time they met a new character.

And she even had a lot of fun herself. Who knew that she would enjoy the parks as an adult so much? She couldn't help but imagine bringing her and Brittany's kids there someday. She could see how enthusiastic her future children would be, especially if they were anything like her blonde lover.

Going out to visit Quinn had also been a really good idea. It had been a long time since the three of them had spent any length of time together without other glee club members or Cheerios around. It was almost like they were back in freshman year at McKinley, having sleepovers at Quinn's house and talking about their plans for high school.

Quinn was much happier and settled in her life. Things were going really well for her at Yale, and she was actually quite happy in her relationship with Puck. She admitted that it was hard doing the long-distance thing, which Santana could relate to, but Puck had really matured and she had hopes that it was actually going to last.

Brittany had naturally gotten the consulting job. She was really excited because they offered her $8,000 for the two months work with a $4,000 bonus at the end if the project was successful. And they didn't have to pay for any lodging, since the researcher who had recommended her had a friend with an empty room over his garage that they could stay in until the project was done.

Everything was going well, and Santana could tell that adjusting to living together for real would actually be pretty easy for them. They easily divided up household tasks, and took turns doing different chores for the most part. Since Brittany would work most of the day, Santana would do any errands and prepare dinner. She also spent a lot of time exploring the city, both by herself and with her girlfriend. She had every intention of staying in this domestic bliss until Brittany's project ended until she got a call that Rachel was having a meltdown about her debut in "Funny Girl".

Brittany was incredibly understanding about Santana wanting to go back to New York to support a member of their glee family. Even though most of them hadn't even tried checking in with them since they had left nearly seven months ago until Rachel was having an emergency.

Santana figured that they were all too wrapped up in their own lives to pay too close of attention to what was going on with anybody else most of the time. She joked that they probably didn't even know they had been back in the States for the past five months and thought they were still in Greece.

Santana left Boston nevertheless, albeit reluctantly, with the promise that her girlfriend would be joining her in a little over a month's time. So she went back to New York, whipped Berry into shape so the dwarf could crush her Broadway debut, and resumed her work at the diner to keep her days busy while she waited to be reunited with Brittany.

Things in New York sometimes seemed stranger than ever, with Santana acting as Rachel's publicist and organizing a fundraiser to give Rachel a better image and even filling in last minute for the star in "Funny Girl" as she had another career crisis. It didn't matter that Santana had quit the show nearly a year ago. She knew she could do it and she killed it.

Yet another favor to Berry under her belt, and she still didn't know why she did these things for the other girl. She guessed she really did care for the hobbit.

Despite all of that, she was actually making some progress in her own career path. Mercedes tried to hook her up with getting her to sing on her album. Santana was truly grateful, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to be a singer. She really loved singing and performing, but she didn't know if she wanted to tour all of the time and leave Brittany behind.

Not to mention the music world was harsh. Mercedes' producer wasn't sure she had the talent, so she wasn't sure she had the talent. She did agree to work with Mercedes, however, even though it scared her. She didn't want to hold Mercedes back or be told she wasn't good enough. But she figured that it may give her an idea if a singing career was something she wanted if she took the opportunity her friend was offering.

She learned a lot about herself while she was waiting for Brittany to finish her work. She definitely learned that Broadway was not for her after saving Berry's ass for that one performance. It was a definite high performing in front of a packed house, but it was not something she wanted to do more than once.

She also learned that she really enjoyed acting as Rachel's publicist. The work was interesting and it gave her a challenge. It utilized her talents for coercion and getting her own way, and she liked knowing that she could present an image to the public and have people believe it. She could see herself doing that for a living, but she still wasn't sure if she wanted to perform instead.

Santana enjoyed acting, but it reminded her too much of all of the acting she did in high school pretending to be straight. And it didn't utilize her singing talent, and she loved to sing. She didn't want to do musicals because they are corny, and she didn't see herself loving an acting career if she couldn't sing as well. And so far, all she was doing in her acting career was Yeast-I-Stat commercials and she definitely didn't want to do those for the rest of her life.

That was why she really wanted to work with Mercedes to see if a singing career was what she wanted. She was finally starting to narrow down what she wanted for a career. Her personal life was already going the way she wanted it, so she was glad she was getting some direction for her professional life.

Santana got offered another Yeast-I-Stat commercial. She hated to do another one, but the pay was pretty good and she needed to do something to get some more money in preparation of Brittany coming to New York in a couple of weeks. She was scheduled to fly out to Iowa to shoot for a week, and she would be back in New York a few days before Brittany was going to be done working. So she accepted and told Brittany of her plans. Her girlfriend was excited that she booked another commercial and wished her luck.

Early in the morning the day before she was supposed to fly out to Iowa, Santana got a phone call that they needed to move up production and she needed to fly out in just a few hours. She raced to get packed for her week-long trip and tried calling Brittany to let her know of the change in plans.

She hoped Brittany hadn't gone in to work already, but she realized she must have when the phone went to voicemail. So she left a message letting the blonde know she would be leaving a day early and hurried to get off to the airport in time for her flight.

After arriving in Iowa, she checked her phone to see if Brittany had called her back but there were no missed calls or messages. Santana sent a quick text, figuring that the blonde maybe left her phone at home or something and would get to it in a couple of hours. She got settled into her hotel and met with the production team, where she learned that somebody had screwed up.

Apparently the wheat fields they wanted to shoot the spot in weren't that abundant in Iowa, which was filled with a lot of corn fields. So production was going to be delayed until they could find somewhere else to shoot and she would end up being stuck away from New York for a few days longer. She called and texted Brittany again, but still got no response.

She ordered in some food to her hotel room and ate in front of the television. She was worried that she hadn't heard from her girlfriend yet. Usually Brittany would be home by now. They had talked every day, several times a day ever since Santana had left Boston. The night was coming to a close and she hadn't talked to Brittany at all today.

She tried calling one more time before she got ready for bed, but she still got voicemail instead. She was convinced at this point that she wouldn't sleep at all tonight and spend the night tossing and turning with thoughts of everything that may have happened to her girlfriend. Santana was just about to call someone to go check on Brittany when her phone rang.

The display showed that it was Mercedes, so she decided to go ahead and take the call. At the very least, she could ask the singer to see if she could get in touch with Brittany. She sat down on the bed as she answered the phone.

"Hey, Wheezy! What's up?"

"Hi, Santana. How's Iowa?"

Santana groaned. "Don't even get me started."

Mercedes chuckled. "I can imagine. Well, the reason I was calling is because I have someone in my apartment who would really like to talk to you."

"Aw, come on Mercedes. I really don't want to hear another crappy impression from Trouts."

Santana could hear Mercedes' distant laughter as she passed the phone to someone else.

"Hey, sexy." Santana's heart both sped up in excitement and calmed in relief at the sound of her lover's voice on the line.

"Brittany? Oh my God, I have been trying to get in touch with you all day. What happened to your phone?" Santana spoke quickly, and she knew her voice sounded a little harsh but it was because she had been worried for hours.

"I kind of lost it, sweetie. I'm sorry. I know I had it last night after we talked, but when I got up this morning I couldn't find it anywhere. I think fairies might have taken it in the night." Brittany's voice soothed Santana even more, and she laughed a little at her girlfriend's bad luck.

"We need to make sure we get you a new one. I need to be able to talk to you or I might go insane, babe." She could practically hear Brittany's smile over the phone, and she knew it probably mirrored her own. Then Santana frowned as she realized something. "Wait, how are you calling from Mercedes' phone? And why did she say you were in her apartment?"

"Well, I kind of finished my project early and thought I would surprise my girlfriend by coming to New York a couple of weeks early. Only I got here and she was nowhere to be found."

"Shit, Brittany. I really wish I was there with you right now. I miss you so much." Santana lay back on the bed, dejected that she missed seeing her lover by mere hours.

"I miss you, too. But I have to say I am a little surprised you're gone."

"That's because you lost your phone, Brit. I got called early this morning by the Yeast-I-Stat people that I needed to catch a flight out a day early instead of tomorrow. That's why I was trying to get in touch with you all day, so I could let you know about the change in plans."

There was a pause before Brittany answered, and when she did she sounded sheepish. "I totally forgot you were supposed to leave tomorrow. I got my days confused and thought it was supposed to be next week. I really should learn how to use the calendar."

Santana laughed. "I guess it was partly my fault. I didn't remind you last night when we talked because I didn't think I would have to leave today. Go figure we had a last minute change of plans. And now production has been delayed because apparently the best wheat fields are in Kansas or something, and not Iowa. So I might have to stay out here for a few days longer than originally planned."

Santana closed her eyes, sighing at their bad luck. Brittany murmured in agreement. "I really wish you were here. I mean, I love Mercedes but she doesn't cuddle as good as you."

Santana growled in mock anger. "You better not be cuddling with anyone else, Brittany S. Pierce. The only arms you can have wrapped around you are mine."

Brittany laughed. "I promise I won't cuddle with anyone but you."

"Good." Santana relaxed further into the bed, getting soothed by talking to the blonde. "So what are your plans for the next week while I'm gone?"

"Oh my gosh, Santana. You really are going to wish you were here when I tell you about the screenplay writer they sent out to write Rachel's pilot script for her show. She is even weirder than me. She is going to drive Berry crazy." Brittany was giggling, causing Santana to laugh at her girlfriend's obvious amusement.

"She can't be that bad, Brit."

"No, she really is. I can't wait to read her script. I had a connection with her right away, and I could tell she is going to write some awesome stuff. I'm afraid Rachel is going to hate it, though, because she won't really understand the genius of it all." Brittany was really laughing now.

"Damn, I really wish I didn't miss that then. But you can tell me all about it when I get back next week." The line was quiet for a moment, and Santana was afraid they may have lost the connection for a second. "Brit?"

"Yeah, I'm here. But I might not be in a week."

"What do you mean? I thought you said your project was done? Did you get another one?" Santana sat up, nearly panicking. She didn't think she could handle another couple of months away from the other girl.

"No, no, no! It is done, and no I am not starting a new one." Brittany was quick to reassure her.

"Then what are you talking about? Why won't you be there?"

"I said I _might_ not be here. Mercedes has to hear back from her label first if everything is okay." Brittany was sounding sneaky. Santana didn't like it when Brittany sounded sneaky.

"Brit, what does Mercedes need to hear from her label about?" Santana asked cautiously.

"So she mentioned that she was trying to get you to sing on her new album, and that you were a little reluctant to do it but you still wanted to try it out. And I told her that she just needed to tell you that was what was going to happen and then you would get over your ridiculous nerves and do it because you are awesome and would knock everyone over with your talent. And she said that she was getting ready to launch her mall tour around the country and she could use some more back-up singers. So she is going to talk to her label to see if she can get you added onto the tour to sing with her." Brittany made her pronouncement all in a rush, and Santana had to take a moment to make sure she followed correctly.

"Are you telling me that I might be going on a national concert tour with Mercedes?" She couldn't really believe what Brittany was telling her.

"Uh-huh." Brittany sounded proud of herself.

"That doesn't explain why you won't be in New York."

"Well, I kind of told Mercedes that I didn't want to be away from you anymore if you did go, and she said that she would see if she could get her label to add me as a dancer on the tour, too. That way we could all go together. It would be like the Troubletones on tour. How awesome would that be?"

Santana laughed, amused by Brittany's enthusiasm. "That would be totally awesome, babe. But do you really think it is going to happen?"

"Why wouldn't it? We are all super talented and would be a good addition to the tour. Plus, Mercedes shouldn't have a problem getting the label to do what she wants since they want to keep her happy and have a successful debut. And she said we would get paid for it, too." Brittany's optimism started to rub off on her, and she could even start to picture them traveling the country together, performing to large crowds and seeing what it was like to live in fame.

"I hope it works out, then. And maybe I could meet up with you guys somewhere as soon as I am done shooting this damn commercial so I can see you next week." Santana lay back down on the bed, contentedly thinking of being in her girlfriend's arms again soon.

"I can't wait for that, baby. I have missed you so, so much!"

"I've missed you, too. I love you, Brit."

"I love you, too, Santana." Santana couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face. "And I really, really miss scissoring with you." Brittany's voice had lowered with desire.

Santana felt the arousal shoot through her body, even as she had the urge to laugh at Brittany's words. "God, babe. You have no idea how much I wish I could touch you right now." Santana could hear the desire in the way her voice became husky.

Brittany whimpered in frustration. "I really, really wish you hadn't had to leave today."

"Me either. I really wish I could just hold you in my arms. I don't want to be kept away from you anymore."

"Me too," Brittany said softly. Santana heard some murmuring in the background before Brittany spoke again. "Hey, I'm really sorry but Mercedes wants her phone back so she can try to get in touch with the people from her label tonight."

Santana pouted and whimpered her disappointment. "I don't want you to go."

"I know. But I will talk to you tomorrow, I promise."

"You better get up early and go get a new phone so we don't have to use somebody else's to sext."

Brittany chuckled. "I will. I will text you as soon as I get one. Have a good night and sweet dreams. I love you more than anything."

"I love you more than anything, too. Goodnight, Brit." Santana sighed as she hung up the phone. She really hoped everything worked out and they could go on tour with Mercedes. It would give her a great opportunity to see if that was a life she wanted.

And she couldn't wait to see Brittany again next week. She only wished she wouldn't have gotten that phone call this morning so she could have seen the blonde tonight. For now, she at least could see her in her dreams.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: So here we start into the events of season 6. Since we have very little canon Brittana in this season in general and nothing after the wedding (apart from the fact that they are for sure in New York in fall 2015 and they are still together in the fall of 2020) we are going to start to get more away from the show. So I obviously start to give them my own picture of their future. Obviously their future is open to a lot of interpretation, so I hope that you all like what I did here.**

 **Also, I have them getting married in the fall of 2014 (makes sense with the timeline since Sectionals for the glee club didn't take place until after their wedding, and Sectionals usually takes place in November). I realize that people have differing opinions on when their wedding would have been, so sorry if I go against what some of you may have imagined. It just fit in my mind and for this story.**

 **And I wanted to say thank you so much for everyone who is continuing to read this, follow it, favorite it, and review it. A special shout out to Roxy Lu and broken-timemachine for your support and kind words! You have no idea how much you have made me smile!**

Part 7- Summer 2014 to Spring 2015

Chapter 19

Touring with Mercedes over the summer was amazing. Santana met up with Mercedes and Brittany in Reno for the national mall tour, and she was ecstatic to be reunited with her girlfriend. Their separation wasn't the longest they've had or lacking in contact like when they were broken up, but it felt like it took forever and neither of them wanted to go through that again. They spent the first few days after their reunion nearly inseparable, maintaining contact with each other's bodies by holding hands or linking arms or laying a head on the other's shoulders, and cuddling and making love several times a night in the privacy of their hotel room.

Santana really loved being able to perform with Mercedes and Brittany in front of the crowds like they used to in glee club. She got a rush when the crowd cheered and applauded their performance. She didn't mind singing backing vocals or the occasional duet with Wheezy, and she enjoyed watching Brittany light up as she danced.

But as the weeks went on, and they kept moving from city to city, hotel to hotel, performing pretty much the same thing every day, she got burned out. It was kind of like the same drawback she saw with performing on Broadway, only without having a real place to call home to go back to every night.

Santana and Brittany talked about how that was the biggest thing lacking for them on the tour. Neither of them enjoyed the constant moving. They had wanted to start their life together and build a future, but this life wasn't really appealing to them.

The physical strain of traveling and performing wore them both down, and it naturally led to some small spats between them. They always made up and reconciled their differences, but Santana really hated the stress it put on them in the first place. They had planned to live in New York when they got back together a year ago, and they had yet to really find a home anywhere.

The closest they had come to truly living together and settling down was in Boston while Brittany was working. Santana thought back on those weeks and found that it was the most content both of them had been in about two years since Santana had left for Louisville.

Traveling around the world and the US was nice and all, but Santana was tired and wanted to settle down with Brittany. She knew Brittany wanted the same. And the more she thought about it as the summer was winding down, the more she realized that she wanted to truly find a home with the blonde.

She was grateful for the tour because she wanted to see if it was a life she wanted to live. She discovered that it wasn't. Santana truly loved performing, but she didn't like the life that performing brought. The constant traveling, being away from Brittany on location shoots, having constant scrutiny of their personal lives were all things she thought she could do but discovered she didn't want to.

The one thing she truly enjoyed doing and saw a future for herself in was being a publicist. So Santana figured that when the tour was over, they could plan to put roots down in New York so they could go to school and really start making a future together. She figured that they would both have ample opportunity to perform if they wanted to in New York, but they could at least start toward developing careers for themselves, too.

Being with Brittany was the best thing that ever happened to Santana. She knew it back in high school and she knew it now. Santana wanted nothing more than to find a home with her lover and make it permanent. She wanted Brittany in her life for as long as they both lived. She knew they were young, but she also knew that Brittany was the love of her life and they had already been through so much together. The past year had only reinforced their deep feelings and Santana knew Brittany wanted the same future for them.

That was why Santana started looking for engagement rings over the last few weeks of their tour. It was a great thing that she was in a variety of malls nearly every day with the tour, so she could find the perfect ring for her perfect girl. And she did. The only thing left was to find the perfect place to propose.

It was shortly before the tour was getting ready to end when they got a call asking if they could come back to Lima for McKinley's Homecoming. Plus, Rachel and Kurt were trying to restart the New Directions and desperately needed help to recruit members, so they thought it would be nice to go see everyone again.

Since they hadn't made any definite plans yet for when the tour was over, they decided to head back to Lima for awhile and help out while they discussed what they wanted to do. Santana also figured that going back to the place where they fell in love would give her the perfect opportunity to propose.

After being back in Lima for a week and living in near domestic bliss once again, Santana knew the time to propose was coming. Berry and Porcelain's glee assignment of an Alanis Morissette/Carole King mash-up actually gave Santana a great proposal idea. And she knew there was no better place than the choir room at McKinley to propose. It was where they fell in love, where they felt safe expressing their love, and where they were surrounded by those who loved them and supported them.

She and Brittany had discussed their plans for what they wanted to do, and Brittany agreed that moving to New York and going to college was a good idea. Their life was practically perfect and going better than Santana could have ever imagined. At least until the proposal.

Everything had gone smoothly, and it was beautiful. Brittany accepted and everyone was happy. Except Kurt, who had to go open his stupid mouth to yell at them and basically say that they were stupid for deciding to get married at such a young age. He was just jealous because his engagement didn't work out, and he wanted to spread his misery to Santana and Brittany's happiness. Santana was not going to stand for that. So after her friends finished congratulating them, she had told Brittany that she would meet her out in the car and took care of her business with Kurt.

She was still wound up as she made her way out of McKinley and stalked toward the car. She didn't know why she was still so pissed after ranting at Kurt. Well, actually she did. He had put a blemish on what should have been one of the best moments of her and Brittany's lives. And she honestly wasn't sure if she could forgive him for that. She finally started to relax a little as she saw Brittany standing by the car waiting for her.

"I'm sorry, babe," Santana said as she approached her new fiancée. She felt terrible about leaving the blonde right after their engagement.

"I am guessing you went to yell at Kurt?" Santana was a little surprised to see that Brittany wasn't disappointed, but actually had a slight smirk on her face.

"I couldn't just let him think he could get away with ruining my proposal to you. I know you probably don't like that I went after him, but I hate the fact that he put a dark spot on what should be one of the happiest times for us."

Brittany grabbed Santana's hands and tilted her head, looking lovingly at the brunette. "Don't be sorry, sweetie. He was wrong for what he did, but he was just hurt that we have found happiness when he and Blaine couldn't."

"That doesn't give him an excuse to act like he knows what is best for us. I mean, we supported him and Blaine when they got engaged even though we were broken up at the time and unhappy ourselves." Santana felt the need to defend herself, even though she knew Brittany didn't care that she went off on Lady Hummel.

"I know," Brittany soothed. "And you are totally right. You know that I love it when you stand up for yourself and for us, and Kurt did deserve a little bit of a talking to for saying what he did. I just don't want you to stay mad at him for it. He is still part of our family, and even though you don't like him very much at the moment, I know that you don't want to lose his friendship."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Santana scoffed.

Brittany gave Santana a stern look, and Santana rolled her eyes in frustration, knowing that the blonde was right.

"Fine, you're right. As usual." Brittany smiled teasingly at her, and she couldn't help but laugh a little. She got serious again quickly, however. "He just really upset me, Brit. I can't believe that someone who should know what it is like to be in our situation could be so hateful for us wanting to celebrate our love and spend the rest of our lives together. I thought the choir room would be the perfect place to propose because we would be around people who would support us and be happy for us, and because it would give us one more happy memory of our relationship from that room."

"Aww, baby, it was a perfect proposal," Brittany cooed. "I will cherish the memory of this for the rest of my life. Forget Lady Hummel and just concentrate on the good parts. We sang an awesome mash-up, you gave a really beautiful speech about how great we are together and how much we love each other, and you asked me to marry you and I said yes! And we are going to get married and start a wonderful life together."

Santana looked down at their joined hands and started to smile, thinking about all of the good things Brittany just mentioned. She squeezed the blonde's hands and looked up into her face, which had a smile of its own spreading across it. Santana's smile grew, and she moved her hands up to wrap around the back of Brittany's neck while the other girl wrapped her arms around Santana's waist.

"You are perfect, Brittany. I am so happy that I have you and that I am going to get to marry you soon. I love you."

"I love you, too, Santana." Brittany pulled Santana closer for a kiss. It was soft and tender and full of love, and after they pulled apart Santana wrapped her arms fully around Brittany's neck and held her tight. She tucked her chin down and buried her nose into the crook of the blonde's neck, breathing in her scent deeply.

She had finally fully calmed down from her fight with Kurt. Only Brittany knew how to make her relax. Just being in the other girl's presence was often enough to do so, but when it wasn't Brittany knew exactly what words to say to give her peace. Santana definitely couldn't wait to marry the beautiful girl in front of her. And she was tired of waiting anymore. She was tired of putting their lives on hold. She wanted to marry Brittany as soon as she could and start living their dream together.

"Babe, how would you feel about hurrying up and planning our wedding and getting married here in the next month or so?" Santana pulled back to look at her fiancée as she asked.

Brittany's face broke into a grin, her blue eyes showing nothing but love. "I can't wait to marry you, Santana. I say absolutely, yes! Let's plan a beautiful wedding and get married as soon as we can."

Santana smiled, tears of joy coming to her eyes. She didn't think she had ever felt happier in her life than she did right now. She had a future to look forward to now. She was going to marry the love of her life, her soulmate, and they were going to live happily ever after. Her dreams were coming to life before her, and if she had told herself at sixteen that this would happen she would have never believed it.

Brittany brought her hands up to Santana's cheeks to wipe away the tears that had started to fall. Santana noticed that the blonde had started to tear up herself, and she knew she had to stop this before they both became big balls of mush. "Ugh, okay, I'm not crying. We are both going to take deep breaths and get in the car and go home and make love to celebrate our engagement. No more tears."

Brittany laughed lightly, but both of them did take a breath and blew them out to fight off anymore tears threatening to fall. Brittany bit her lip a little guiltily before she spoke.

"As good as making love to you sounds right now, I can't go home with you yet."

Santana started in surprise, and her face scrunched up in confusion. "Why not?"

"There is something I need to take care of first," Brittany said mischievously.

Santana could tell Brittany was up to something, but she couldn't get a read on the other girl to find out what it was. "And what do you have to take care of that is more important than me?"

Brittany rolled her eyes at Santana's question but smiled. "It's a surprise. Well, part of it is at least. The other part is that I want to have a little talk with Kurt myself for making you feel bad. So I am going to rope him into helping me with the thing I need to take care of."

Santana loved the fact that Brittany was willing to stand up to their friend to defend her. And she was suspicious that the surprise was a gift for her, and she was now really curious. If it was something Brittany needed help with, it must be something big.

"Does it just so happen that this surprise thing you have to take care of is for me?" She asked coyly.

"Guess you will have to wait and see," Brittany told her teasingly.

"You are so mean," Santana joked and pouted playfully.

Brittany laughed at her and kissed her pout away with several pecks to her lips. "I promise you will find out what it is soon." She placed one more kiss to Santana's lips, this time lingering and caressing their mouths together seductively. She pulled away slightly to whisper against Santana's mouth. "And I also promise that we can make love all night to celebrate."

Santana's body shivered in desire and her eyes closed involuntarily in pleasure at Brittany's promise. "I am going to hold you to that promise, babe, so you better be prepared to deliver."

Brittany chuckled devilishly. "Oh, I will deliver alright." The blonde then kissed her deeply, stroking her tongue against Santana's erotically. Santana couldn't stop the whimper that escaped her. All too soon for Santana's liking, Brittany broke the kiss with a final soft meeting of their lips and pulled back. "I really should go now, though. And you should go home and relax. Why don't you take a nice long bath and get all cozy, hmm? I will see you in a little bit."

"Okay, if I have to leave you I guess I will." Santana pouted as they parted from each other's arms. She didn't want to leave her fiancée quite yet, however, so she ran her right hand down Brittany's left arm and linked their pinkies together to hold the blonde as she started to step away.

"Santana, I really do need to go," Brittany frowned. Santana knew she was just as hesitant to part, and she wouldn't do it if it wasn't for a good reason.

"Fine, I will let you go." She gave the other girl's pinky a final squeeze before she released it, looking deeply into blue eyes. "I love you so much."

Brittany smiled softly back at her. "I love you, too."

Brittany started to walk away, glancing back over her shoulder to give a small wave and a pout as she went off to do whatever it was she was planning on doing. Santana hoped she didn't give Porcelain too hard of a time, since she knew that she went off on him pretty harshly earlier. But she was looking forward to whatever surprises Brittany had in store for her in their future.

* * *

Santana and Brittany had put in applications for both NYU and Columbia and hoped to be able to start by at least the summer session next year. Santana had already put off school for almost two years and she hated that she was behind that far. She wanted to get started as soon as possible in order to get finished as soon as she could. She knew that Brittany was going mostly because Santana asked her to, but also because the blonde wanted to get a degree and use her genius brain to solve the problems in the world that she could.

Both of them went back to New York for about two weeks to check out the campuses of both of the schools and get information on the degrees offered, as well as to look at potential places to live. Santana was particularly hoping to get a degree that could get her into the Public Relations field and maybe do some music classes or something on the side.

They did find an apartment they both really liked that they could afford, and the place would be available at the beginning of the year which gave them time to do the wedding and go on their honeymoon and prepare all of their stuff to move in.

They did a little bit of wedding planning, but were so busy running around the city that they didn't get much accomplished on that front. So Santana decided to send Brittany back to Lima a few days early to really get to work on wedding plans while she stayed in the city to complete all of the paperwork for the apartment and scout out potential furniture stores to furnish their new place.

The day she was getting ready to fly back to Lima in order to concentrate fully on wedding planning, she got a phone call from her fiancée.

"Hey, babe," she greeted as she answered the call.

"Hi, I miss you! How much longer until you're home?"

"I miss you, too, Brit. And I will be home in about five hours. You sound a little weird. What's up?" Santana had noticed that Brittany's voice was a little strained.

"I just told my parents that we're getting married."

Santana laughed. "Seriously? We've been engaged for over two weeks and you are just telling them now? I don't know why you didn't tell them earlier. I told my parents the same day."

"Well you know they were gone for my sister's soccer game that day and then we left for New York not long after that and I was kind of hoping to wait for you to get back so we could tell them together but then they told me something big so I kind of blurted it out," the blonde rambled.

"Whoa, Brittany. What did they tell you? Obviously it affected you because you really are acting strange." Santana was a little worried that whatever happened upset her girl.

"They told me that my dad wasn't my real dad. But, I mean, he is my real dad, just not my biological dad. And obviously I'm not stupid, so I knew that but I kind of thought maybe I was adopted or something along those lines. I always figured they were never going to tell me since they waited until I was twenty years old to say anything. But I never expected to find out that Stephen Hawking was my biological father." Brittany spoke so fast that Santana almost missed what she said.

"Wait, what? Stephen Hawking, like the smartest man in the world? The dude in the wheelchair?" Santana was surprised to say the least. Not that Brittany's real father was a genius, but that he was practically the biggest genius in the world.

"That would be him." Brittany sounded a little overwhelmed, and Santana hated that she wasn't there to see how this news was really affecting her.

"What is it with you and guys in wheelchairs?" Santana joked, trying to lighten the mood. Brittany gave a little laugh. "So, how are you holding up with finding that out?"

Brittany sighed. "I am definitely surprised. I never would have thought my father would be Stephen Hawking. But it isn't like he was really my dad, you know? My dad is the guy who raised me and taught me how to ride a bike and how to color and joked around with me. Stephen Hawking just gave me some DNA and a really confusing genius brain."

"Well I love your DNA and your genius brain, but I also love your sense of humor and the drawings you color for me, so I have got to say that I am thankful for both of your dads. Because without them, I wouldn't have you," Santana gushed.

"You are too sweet, baby. Thank you," Brittany said softly.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"For being you. For knowing exactly what to say to make me feel better. And for the fact that I will see you later tonight and know that you will hold me all night long."

Santana grinned into the phone, feeling a surge of love for her wonderful fiancée. "You know I will. And I will do so every night for the rest of our lives."

"I love you so much, Santana."

"I love you, too. And I will see you soon, but I have to go now so I can get everything ready to head to the airport."

"Okay. I can't wait to see you!"

"Me, too, babe." Santana disconnected the call, and set about getting ready to go back to Lima. She couldn't wait to be reunited with Brittany and work on planning their dream wedding.

* * *

Santana was amazed that she could still be surprised by the awesomeness of Brittany. Just the fact that the blonde would go through this huge scheme to try and win Santana's abuela's favor to convince her to come to their wedding put her in awe of how much Brittany truly loved her.

Of course it had upset her a little that Brittany went behind her back to do this after they had discussed the fact that she chose Brittany for her life instead of her abuela, because she wanted true love in her life and not someone who only tolerated her. But Santana knew that Brittany did it because she wanted Santana to have the best wedding day she possibly could, and the blonde knew that she really did want her abuela there because it meant that she could finally accept Santana for who she truly was.

Even though Brittany's grand scheme didn't work, it just proved to Santana how much Brittany loved her and that she would do anything possible to make her happy. And she loved it when Brittany stood up for her. Brittany had come a long way from being the timid girl who let people walk all over her because she was scared to stand up for herself. She had gained so much confidence over the years, and now she had no problems confronting anyone who put her or Santana down. Knowing that Brittany loved her enough to defend her so wholeheartedly meant the absolute world to her.

Brittany had been so upset that her abuela didn't change her mind. But Santana comforted her, explaining that the only thing she really needed at their wedding was just the two of them. Yes, it had hurt that her abuela told them they were wrong in getting married. But Brittany's love made that hurt fade away. The world wasn't a perfect place, and people were going to look at them badly sometimes for being together and being themselves, but her and Brittany's love was perfect and nothing could change that.

They were both grateful for their glee family and friends singing to them to show their support for their relationship and upcoming nuptials. It meant that they were always going to have people in their lives that loved them and cared for them. They had their parents' support, of course, but it was nice to have the others around them to boost them up when the rest of the world reared its ugly head.

They knew that planning a wedding in about a month's time was really hard, so it was awesome that everyone was agreeing to step up and help in any way they could. And Santana was thankful that Artie was taking the reins by being their wedding planner. It gave them more time to work on the other important things they needed to do, like be there for each other.

Later that night, they lay cuddled in Santana's bed talking about how great everyone had been during all of this and with their help planning the wedding. Brittany lay propped up by the pillows and Santana had her head on Brittany's chest, arms wrapped around the other girl's waist and their legs tangled together.

"Our friends really are awesome," Brittany gushed.

"Yeah, they are. But not as awesome as you," Santana replied, squeezing her arms tight around the blonde's waist.

Brittany pressed a kiss into her hair and stroked her back, but stayed quiet.

"What are you thinking about, Brit?"

Brittany hesitated before answering. "I don't want you to take this the wrong way." She paused, causing Santana to pull away slightly to look up into the blonde's face. Brittany had her eyes downcast and she chewed her lower lip nervously.

"Take what the wrong way?" Santana was getting a little nervous herself.

Brittany let out a breath through pursed lips before meeting Santana's gaze. "Do you think we're doing the right thing getting married?"

Santana's heart plummeted. Why was Brittany asking this now? They were getting married in a few short weeks. Was she having second thoughts about getting married so quickly?

"Do you not want to get married?" Santana squeaked out.

"Yes! I do! I want to marry you so badly! That's why I didn't want to say anything, because I didn't want you to think that." Brittany was on the verge of tears, afraid that Santana would get upset. Santana calmed down at her fiancée's reassurance.

"What do you mean then, Brit?" Santana wanted to find out what was bothering the blonde so she could make her happy again.

"It's just that, with everything that has happened this week, it got me thinking a lot about how outside forces can affect relationships. Our relationship with each other is perfect, but we are young and have a lot of growing up to do. And you and I have so much left to do to work on ourselves as individuals, apart from each other. We have to start _and_ finish college and start careers. We saw how pursuing those things affected Rachel and Finn as well as Kurt and Blaine. I don't want our relationship to get in the way of anything, and I really don't want anything to get in the way of our relationship. The one thing I have always known is that you and I were supposed to be together. And if we have to wait to get married in order to pursue individual dreams then I know that it will still happen down the road. I know I will wait forever for you." Brittany paused to take a deep breath. "I guess I am just worried that by you marrying me, you won't be able to achieve the dreams you had for yourself."

Santana absorbed what Brittany had said, and thought it over for a moment. She had actually calmed down after she thought the words over, even though Brittany's speech should have made her feel panicked that her fiancée was thinking about backing out of the wedding. She was calm because she understood Brittany's fears, and she knew exactly how to make them go away.

She sat up onto her knees, and pulled the other girl up by her hands so that she was sitting up and facing her. Santana kept their hands clasped, and tilted her head down to get Brittany to look up into her eyes. She waited until blue eyes met her own before she spoke.

"Brit, you do make some really good points. You are the smartest person I know, so I would be stupid if I didn't take your concerns to heart. But I am going to tell you something. The reason why Rachel and Finn and Kurt and Blaine had problems was because being with each other wasn't their biggest dream. Rachel wanted to be on Broadway since before she could talk. _That_ was her dream. And yeah, Finn became a part of her dream, but he wasn't her only dream, understand? The same thing applies to Kurt and Blaine. They all had plans for their future before the other one came along in their lives, and they all just kind of absorbed each other into their dreams."

Brittany looked at her kind of confused. "I get what you're saying, but I don't understand what you mean."

Santana smiled softly at her. "Babe, I never had a real dream for my future before I met you. I had goals, like being a Cheerio and being popular. But I had never really thought about what my adult life would be like or what I wanted to do when I grew up. Then you came along, and the _only_ thing I knew I wanted for my future was to have you in it and to be with you for the rest of my life. Brittany, you have always been my dream. Everything else is just background noise to me. I can find something to do for a career, that doesn't matter. The only thing that matters to me is that, no matter what I do, you are by my side."

Brittany's eyes pooled with tears, and as she blinked a couple escaped to trail down her cheeks. "You have always been my dream, too, Santana. I was so afraid of holding you back from what you wanted to do, like when you were going to coach the Cheerios with Sue instead of going to New York so you could be close to me. I knew back in sophomore year that I would follow you anywhere you wanted to go in your life if you'd let me. The only thing I have ever wanted was for us to be together and for you to achieve your dreams."

Santana felt her own eyes pool with tears, and she gave a little laugh at how sappy they were getting. She brought her hands up to wipe Brittany's cheeks with her thumbs and caressed her cheeks as she leaned in to kiss the blonde softly.

"Then will you make both of our dreams come true by marrying me in a couple of weeks?" Santana asked as she pulled away, looking deeply into Brittany's beautiful blue eyes.

Brittany smiled and nodded before wrapping her arms around Santana's neck and pulling her in for a hug, squeezing tightly.

"I will absolutely marry you. I love you so much," Brittany said into her ear.

Santana hugged Brittany even tighter. "I love you, too. You make me so happy. You are all I have ever wanted, Brit."

"And you are all I've ever wanted," Brittany whispered, and then pulled out of the embrace to grasp Santana's face in her hands and kiss her. The kiss started off slow, but grew passionate quickly. Santana couldn't have been happier at how Brittany was making her dreams come true, and she poured all of her love into her kiss. It wasn't long before things escalated, and they spent the rest of the night proving just how much love they had for one another.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I don't have too much to say about this chapter, other than I really like it. It is super fluffy and definitely has some sexy times. I hope you all like it :)**

 **Thank you so, so much to everyone who reviewed! If I wasn't able to PM you, I will just give you all a general thanks in appreciation for your wonderful comments and feedback. I do read all of your reviews and sincerely am grateful for them! Thanks to everyone in general who is reading, favoriting, following, and (of course) reviewing! I am amazed by you all!**

Chapter 20

The days leading up to the wedding were hectic. Brittany had taken on a lot of the wedding planning while Santana worked on getting their plans set for moving to New York and booking their honeymoon. Planning a full wedding in about a month's time had a lot of drawbacks. One drawback was that Quinn wasn't able to come back to town. Apparently, one of her professors made it mandatory that they attended a seminar the weekend of the wedding and Quinn wasn't able to reschedule a make-up.

They understood that planning a wedding on short notice was going to take a lot of work, but had they known how stressful everything was going to be they might have done things a little differently. The stress really started to get to Brittany, and Santana's laid back attitude didn't really help her fiancée stop from having a little freak out. Santana couldn't really help it, though, because she was just too happy to be marrying her soulmate to worry over all of the little things.

She thought Brittany was completely adorable freaking out over Whitney recalling the dancer's birth in the barn, but she knew that she would be happy getting married in the middle of a cow pasture in a blizzard if it meant she was marrying Brittany. Regardless of the stress and drama leading up to the big day, it all turned out perfectly in her mind.

Santana was even okay with Sue convincing Brittany to have Kurt and Blaine get married at the same time. Sue pulled through for them by getting Santana's abuela to come to the wedding, and Brittany felt obligated to help Sue in return. Plus, Brittany was so happy that things were turning out so well that she wanted to spread the love.

Since Sue had done all of the work to get Kurt and Blaine everything they needed to get married, and Brittany thought it would be fun to have a double gay wedding, Santana didn't have any objections. She wanted her future wife to be happy, and if she wanted Kurt and Blaine to join them in their ceremony, then that was what she would get.

Santana was even happy that she was able to forgive Sue and let her attend the wedding. The woman was a menace, but if it wasn't for her, she and Brittany would probably have never ended up where they were now. Not only had Sue put them on the Cheerios together, but her incessant putdowns and yelling is what led Santana and Brittany to really bond. Santana's first pinky promise to always have Brittany's back around Sue was the first step they took in really bonding with each other. And the coach's insane antics only kept deepening their bond, just like that night in the woods after freshman year. Santana had to admit that Sue played a large part in their relationship, and everything turned out the way it was supposed to with help from Sue.

After they had exchanged their vows and were pronounced wife and wife, Santana had an overwhelming feeling of love and excitement take over her. She was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She was finally married to the woman of her dreams, the only person she had ever been in love with, and they had a wonderfully bright future to look forward to. Santana couldn't wait to get started.

They enjoyed partying with all of their friends and family, surrounded by people they loved celebrating Brittany and Santana's love for each other. Santana couldn't remember smiling this much before around people other than her new wife. And she couldn't help but love Pierce's toast, agreeing with him wholeheartedly that her bride was the prettiest girl there. No one else could compare.

When the party started to wind down and their guests started to make their way out to their cars, Brittany grabbed Santana to sneak them out the back of the barn to share a final dance alone under the stars. They held each other closely, swaying slowly and sharing long, lingering kisses as they moved to their own song. She thought it was the perfect way to end the perfect wedding.

Since they had already snuck out, they decided to make their way to the hotel they had booked for the night. Brittany picked Santana up to carry her across the threshold of the hotel room. Santana just giggled at her wife's enthusiasm about sticking to wedding traditions. Brittany kicked the door closed behind them before putting Santana on her feet and pulling her in for a kiss.

Santana leaned into her wife, causing the blonde to lean back against the door. Santana buried one hand in Brittany's hair to deepen the kiss while the other hand went to cup her ass and pull her closer. She delighted in Brittany's moan as their tongues dueled, and she couldn't help but squeeze the dancer's firm ass in response. Brittany's hands settled at Santana's hips, fingers tightening into the brunette's curves.

Brittany broke their kiss and Santana took advantage to pepper her wife's cheek with kisses before moving down to kiss and suck on her neck. Brittany turned her head to give Santana better access and whimpered.

"Santana," Brittany said, trying to get her attention. Santana ignored her, intent on continuing to kiss on the gorgeous neck at her disposal. "Baby- _oh, God_ …"

Santana had started sucking on Brittany's pulse point, causing the blonde's head to fall back further and her breath to catch. Santana smiled into Brittany's neck at the response her wife was having to her ministrations, and she continued pressing kisses to her neck as Santana's hand came from the back of Brittany's head to caress the other girl's breast through her dress.

Brittany moaned, and her hips rocked into Santana while her hands pulled Santana's hips into her, causing the brunette to falter as the motion put wonderful pressure against her throbbing center. Brittany noticed Santana's response quickly, however, and pressed her advantage. She turned them suddenly so Santana was now pushed up against the door, and she pressed her lithe body into the smaller woman's, bringing their mouths crashing together.

Santana's mind stopped as Brittany's tongue caressed her own, and she whimpered into her wife's mouth. The blonde used her body to pin Santana against the door and she grabbed the brunette's hands, intertwining their fingers together. She pulled back from Santana's mouth, and Santana instinctually followed Brittany's lips. But Brittany prevented contact by tilting her chin down and pressing their foreheads together. Santana started coming to her senses again now that Brittany's mouth had left hers, and she opened her eyes to meet the desire-darkened blues of her lover.

"What's the matter? Why are you stopping?" Santana asked, breathlessly.

"I'm not stopping. I'm just slowing things down a bit," Brittany replied, trying to catch her own breath.

"Huh?" Santana's mind was still a little muddled from the blonde's body pressed deliciously up against her own.

"We have all night. And I want to take advantage of that." Brittany pulled her head back as her eyes danced over Santana's face. She let her eyes return to meet Santana's, and her gaze was filled with a lust and love. "As much as I would love to have amazingly hot sex with you against a hotel door, what I really want to do is slowly undress each other and lie down on the bed and make love with my wife."

Santana's body practically floated away in happiness at hearing Brittany refer to her as her wife. She grinned in elation at the word from her lover's lips. Brittany smiled sweetly back at her, and her frantic arousal from before ebbed into a slow, erotic burn. Nothing sounded better than making slow love to the beautiful woman before her.

"I love hearing you call me your wife," she cooed, and Brittany's smile grew. "And I think _my_ _wife_ has the perfect idea."

Brittany grinned at that. "And I don't think I will ever get tired of hearing _you_ call _me_ your wife. I am so, so happy we are married, Santana."

"I have never been happier, Brit. And I only know that we will get more happy as we grow old and have a family together," she stated happily.

Brittany leaned in and started kissing her slowly, caressing their lips across each other so sweetly. She stood up and pulled Santana away from the door, keeping their mouths together, and led her by the hands over to the edge of the bed. Then the blonde ran her hands up Santana's arms and over her shoulders before finally coming to cup her cheeks gently. Brittany's thumbs caressed her face lightly as they continued to kiss softly.

Santana thought she couldn't have possibly loved Brittany more than she already did. But as her new wife continued to make love to her mouth with slow, lingering kisses, she could feel her heart fill up with even more love for her. She knew she would never, ever get tired of this feeling. She wanted to show Brittany just how very much in love with her she was.

Santana brought her hands from where they had taken purchase on Brittany's hips and slid them up the other woman's back to the zipper on her dress. She reluctantly pulled her mouth away from her lover's soft lips. As she pulled back and opened her eyes, she took note of the flushed cheeks of the blonde, and when Brittany's eyes fluttered open her pupils were so big Santana could barely see a ring of blue around the edges. She couldn't have been more proud to know that she made Brittany look like that. And based on the intense look on Brittany's face as the blonde took in her appearance, she could only imagine that her face was in a similar state as her wife's.

Santana worked the zipper of Brittany's dress down, and the blonde lowered her arms from Santana's face so the brunette could slide the dress down her arms so it could fall at their feet. She had never seen a more beautiful woman in her life, and she couldn't help but run her hands over Brittany's body, caressing the curve of her hips around to the soft skin of her stomach, running her hands up toward her breasts. She veered her hands to the sides as they reached the bottoms of her breasts so they started to move toward Brittany's sides, but she couldn't resist brushing her thumbs over Brittany's hardened nipples as her hands worked their way around to unclasp her lover's bra.

Once she had removed it and tossed it to the floor, she brought her hands back up to take Brittany's breasts into her hands, massaging them gently. Brittany's head tilted back and she bit her lip on a moan. Santana leaned down to press wet kisses to the blonde's chest, working her way to one nipple and licking it before sucking it into her mouth while she continued to squeeze both breasts with her hands. Brittany gasped in pleasure and brought her hands up to cup the back of Santana's head while she continued to lick and suck at her breast.

Santana moved over to pay similar attention to the other breast, and was pleased as she noticed Brittany's breathing becoming more ragged. She moved away from her wife's beautiful breasts so she could finish slowly undressing her, and Brittany held onto her shoulders as she removed the rest of her clothing. It wasn't long before Brittany stood before her completely naked. Santana let her gaze rake over her lover's nude form, hands following the path her eyes set to caress the smooth skin.

Brittany grasped Santana's face to pull her in for a heated kiss, her tongue quickly asking for entrance into the brunette's mouth. Santana opened her lips to let their tongues play, and Brittany set an unhurried pace, stroking almost lazily in her mouth. She pulled away after a final press of their mouths and she started to undress Santana. Santana could practically feel her skin sizzle as Brittany's hands moved over her body as she removed her clothing.

Once she was completely undressed, Brittany stood back and Santana watched as her eyes seemed to take in every inch of her body. A look of awe took over the blonde's face.

"You are so completely beautiful, Santana," Brittany stated sincerely. "I am so glad you're mine."

Brittany's gaze locked onto Santana's and she could practically feel the love being directed at her through the blue eyes staring at her so intently. Santana stepped into her wife's body, wrapping her arms around her waist to bring their bodies into contact. She moaned as their bare skin came into contact, breasts and stomachs pressing into each other's bodies. Brittany's hands ran up and down her forearms lightly as she leaned down to kiss Santana again.

Santana loved the feeling of Brittany's lips against hers. But she wanted to feel more of the blonde's body, so she directed her toward the bed. They broke their kiss long enough to move onto the bed and lie down on their sides facing each other. Their hands restlessly stroked each other's bodies as they continued to kiss open-mouthed. Santana ran her hands over all the skin she could reach as Brittany did the same to her.

They occasionally moved their lips away from the other's mouth to place wet kisses down a supple neck before nibbling and kissing the collarbone and chest of the other woman. Their mouths always returned back for more deep, slow kisses. They continued to caress each other's curves unhurriedly, taking their time to enjoy the feel of each other, purposefully avoiding their increasingly wet centers.

Santana didn't know how long they spent worshipping each other's bodies. It seemed like minutes and hours at the same time. She didn't care, however, because she knew she would never get enough of this. The slow burn of desire in her belly had stoked higher and higher, and it was now a raging fire. She could tell Brittany was feeling the same, as her sighs and whimpers matched Santana's own. As turned on as she was, she didn't feel the normal desperation she got when making love with her lover. She was not in any hurry for this to end.

Finally, Brittany gently pushed Santana's shoulder to roll her over onto her back. The blonde moved in between her legs, lowering herself to bring their bodies flush against each other. Santana put her hands underneath Brittany's arms to wrap around her wife's shoulders. She peppered kisses over Brittany's jaw as the blonde tilted her head to whisper in Santana's ear.

"I want us to come together while we are making love." Santana's body shuddered in pleasure at the words.

Brittany arched her back enough to give some space in between their stomach and hips, keeping their breasts pressed together. Santana moved her left hand from Brittany's shoulder and before she could move it in between their bodies, her wife grabbed it and laced their fingers together. Brittany brought their hands up to her lips to place a soft kiss on Santana's hand before guiding them both between their bodies.

Brittany let go of her hand so she could slide her fingers through the brunette's folds, caressing lightly, almost teasingly, and she pressed her cheek against Santana's. Santana quickly ran her fingers through her lover's wetness, and she groaned at the slickness coating her fingers.

"God, you're so wet, Brit," she moaned.

"So are you," Brittany sighed into her ear.

Brittany's fingers circled Santana's clit a few times before she moved her hand down and slide two fingers inside. Santana gasped at the pleasure of being filled. Brittany pulled her head up to kiss her deeply, the stroke of her tongue matching the slow strokes of her fingers in and out. Santana's own motions stuttered for a moment before she was able to come into her senses enough to slide her own fingers inside of her wife.

Brittany moaned into Santana's mouth before she pulled away and rested their foreheads against each other. Their eyes locked and Santana could see the love and desire in the blonde's gaze. Their hips rocked into each other's hands as they continued their leisurely stroking. Santana knew she wouldn't last long after her arousal was built up for so long. She knew her wife's body well enough by now to know that Brittany would be the same.

Santana increased her pace slightly, and Brittany whimpered.

"Santana. I'm so close."

"Me, too," Santana moaned.

Brittany increased her own pace, and their hips unconsciously began rolling even faster.

"I love you, Brittany," Santana whispered, eyes still locked on the blue ones above her.

"I love you, too. So much, Santana."

They continued murmuring words of love to each other, and soon Brittany's brow furrowed. Santana could feel her wife's walls start clenching around her fingers and then she watched as Brittany's face contorted in pleasure as she started to climax. Santana thought her lover was so beautiful as she reached her peak, and Brittany's quiet cries of love and Santana's name combined with the sight above her caused her to tumble immediately after into her own intense climax. They continued rocking their hips into each other as they rode out each other's orgasms.

They finally started to come down from their peaks, slowly sliding their fingers out of each other's bodies. Brittany laid fully back down over her, and before Santana had started to catch her breath, Brittany was kissing her deeply.

Santana eagerly returned her wife's kiss, and she wrapped her arms around the blonde to hold her tightly. Brittany's hand came up to cup her cheek before she pulled back. Her eyes remained closed for a moment before she opened them to look lovingly at Santana.

"You are so perfect. I can't believe you're mine," she murmured before giving her another soft kiss, her thumb caressing Santana's cheek.

Santana felt her heart expand and she smiled into the kiss before Brittany pulled back again. She ran her hands lovingly across her wife's back, looking deeply into her blue eyes.

"I thank God every day for you, Brit. You are the best thing to ever happen to me, and I will never stop being thankful for your love."

Brittany smiled down at her before she rolled over onto her side. She sidled up to Santana and pulled her close. Santana rolled onto her side, putting her back against her wife's body so the blonde could tuck her body around her own, pulling her even closer. Brittany wrapped her arm around her torso and linked their hands together, pressing them into the center of Santana's chest and holding her tightly. She buried her face into the brunette's shoulder, pressing gentle kisses to it as they relaxed into each other.

"Let's just relax here for a few," Brittany said lazily. "Then we can make love again."

Santana chuckled lightly. "We just barely finished making love a minute ago and you're already thinking about round two?"

"Mmmm, I am always thinking about making love to you," Brittany murmured into her skin. "I don't think I will ever get enough of you, Santana."

"Good to know the feeling's mutual," Santana said, smiling at her wife's words.

They lay there for awhile, enjoying their cuddle time. Then Brittany began to place more kisses against her shoulder and back. The kisses quickly moved from soft pecks to open-mouthed, wet kisses. Santana felt the arousal start to creep back into her body, and she sighed her approval at the blonde's ministrations.

It wasn't long before her body was being caressed again, and they were moving onto making love for the second time that night. Santana definitely agreed with Brittany. She didn't think she could ever get enough of her wife. She was glad she had forever to find out if it was possible.

* * *

Santana and Brittany couldn't believe it when Sue gave them a month long trip to the Bahamas for their honeymoon. It turned out the woman cared more for them than they could have ever imagined. They were supremely grateful for all that their former coach had done for them. And they were more than excited to enjoy their extended honeymoon.

They spent the first several days barely leaving their room at the resort. They made love in so many different ways. They made slow, sweet love and hurried, passionate love. And sometimes they just plain fucked each other senseless. They did it in the shower, in the bath, on the bed, on the floor, against the door, and on the desk. They had fun trying different positions and made good use of the toys they brought. Santana particularly liked it when they used the strap-on if they used a toy, and she knew that was one of Brittany's favorites as well.

They finally decided they should venture out of the room and actually see some of the island before their honeymoon was over. The resort was gorgeous, and Brittany was so adorable with how excited she was when they got to swim with a dolphin. Santana had to admit that the experience with the dolphin was pretty cool, so she could understand her wife's excitement. But it was the look of awe and joy on her wife's face made Santana wonder how she ever got so lucky to have this beautiful woman choose to spend her life with her.

The rest of their honeymoon was almost like they were back on Lesbos or Hawaii. They spent the days sight-seeing, at the beach, or at one of the pools at the resort, and they spent their nights in each other's arms. They still couldn't get enough of each other's bodies, but they were just as content to cuddle and fall asleep together as they were to make love. They settled into their newlywed state finally, and it really started to sink in that they were officially married. They were almost giddy in their happiness, and nothing could really bring them down. Santana didn't really think she could ever come down from this high.

They were getting close to the end of their stay in the Bahamas. Santana woke in Brittany's arms to the morning sunlight streaming into their hotel room through a small separation in the curtains. She turned her face to burrow further into the pillow when she felt her wife's arms tighten around her, pulling her closer into the blonde's naked body. Brittany's breasts pressed into Santana's bare back, causing a flicker of arousal to settle into her belly.

She wasn't sure if Brittany was awake yet or not, so she started lightly running her hand up and down her lover's arm, leaving goosebumps in the wake of her fingers. She felt soft, feathery kisses graze her shoulder when the blonde's hand grasped her own, lacing their fingers together to tuck them both underneath Santana's chin and pressing her body further into the brunette's.

"Mmmm, morning baby," Brittany mumbled into Santana's skin.

"Good morning, BritBrit," Santana replied, smiling as she turned in her wife's arms to face the sleepy blonde. Brittany gave her a sleepy smile in return before leaning in and giving her a proper morning kiss. Their lips lingered together before they finally pulled apart.

Brittany tucked a strand of Santana's hair behind her ear, her hand lingering to caress her cheek. Santana held it in place and turned her head to place a soft kiss to the inside of her wife's wrist, closing her eyes from drowsiness before releasing Brittany's hand and turning her head back to lay her cheek on the pillow.

"You're so adorable in the morning," Brittany told her, and she could hear the smile in the other woman's voice.

Santana grunted in reply, scrunching her face up at her wife's amusement of her less than stellar morning appearance. She was sure her hair was a hot mess and her face felt like it had creases from the pillow on it. She knew that after six years of waking up around each other in various settings, however, that Brittany was used to seeing her at her worst in the mornings.

She forced her drowsy eyes open to meet her wife's smiling blue eyes. It wasn't fair that Brittany always looked so beautiful in the morning. Then again, her hair could look like a rat had nested in it and she could have dried drool on her cheek and Santana would still think she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

"What time is it?" Santana didn't want to get out of bed if it was too early. But based on the amount of sunlight streaming through the curtains, it appeared to be late morning at least. Their sexy times had kept them up fairly late the night before, so a little extra sleep wouldn't be uncalled for if it wasn't too late in the morning.

Brittany lifted her head to look over Santana's shoulder at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "It's almost 11."

"Ugh, I guess we shouldn't sleep more then, huh?" Santana grumbled. Brittany chuckled as she lay her head back down. She booped Santana's nose and scrunched up her face playfully.

"Probably not. You hungry?" Just then, Brittany's stomach growled loudly causing Santana to laugh.

"I am a little, but not as much as you are apparently."

Brittany shrugged her shoulders. "What can I say? We burned a lot of calories last night after a really early dinner. I need to refuel."

"Well, give me a few more minutes to lay here with you and then we can go grab some food."

"Okay, sweetie," Brittany replied, smiling sweetly. She leaned in for another kiss, which Santana deepened. Brittany moaned as she bit the blonde's lip, sucking it into her mouth before releasing it to run her tongue along it. Brittany opened her lips in response to take it into her mouth, letting their tongues caress each other.

Santana finally pulled back, breathing a little heavier. She was pleased to notice Brittany's face had become a little flushed and her own breathing was a little more labored.

"We probably shouldn't start anything if you're as hungry as your stomach claimed you are. I don't want the lion in there to bust out and devour me instead," Santana teased.

Brittany pouted. "You are so mean. It wasn't that loud."

Santana laughed. "Yes, it was. But I won't say anything else about it if it bothers you that much."

Brittany rolled her eyes in response and tucked her face down into Santana's chest as if she was embarrassed. "If you're not going to let me go get food yet, and you won't let us scissor, then you have to cuddle me."

Santana grinned as she tightened her arms around her wife and pressed a kiss to her head. As if that was any sort of punishment for her. "Anytime, babe. I love getting the chance to cuddle you."

"Mmmm, good," Brittany mumbled into her chest before placing a wet kiss to Santana's sternum. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Brit."

They lay there for several quiet minutes, enjoying being in each other's arms. They were just content to be held by each other for awhile.

"When did you know?"

Santana was slightly startled by Brittany's abrupt question. She pulled her head back slightly to look down at the blonde in confusion. "When did I know what?"

Brittany hesitated and drew patterns over Santana's stomach with her finger before finally looking up and meeting her eyes. "That you loved me?"

Santana froze, surprised at her wife's question. She and Brittany had been through a lot in their relationship together. So many ups and downs and being together but not together and then finally getting their happy ever after. Although they had never talked about what had happened to make their relationship change from friendship to something more or what the defining moments were that helped them realize the true depths of their feelings, they always knew their relationship was something special and unique.

She wasn't exactly sure what Brittany wanted to know, though. Brittany already really knew when Santana acknowledged to herself that she loved Brittany. She suspected Brittany wanted to know something else.

"Well, you know I had some issues figuring myself out junior year. And with Ms. Holliday having that talk with us and us singing 'Landslide', well that was when I really admitted to myself that I was in love with you." Santana paused, not sure if she was giving Brittany the answer she wanted.

Brittany shook her head slightly, eyes following her finger as she continued to trace undefined patterns on Santana's skin. "No, I know when you were able to admit it to yourself and to me. But when did you _know_?"

As Santana suspected, Brittany wanted a deeper answer. The fact that her wife wouldn't really meet her eyes made her wonder if the blonde was worried that her answer wouldn't match up with what she thought she knew. She still wasn't sure what exactly Brittany wanted to know, so she figured she would just answer as openly as she could regarding her feelings for her wife from when they were teenagers.

"I think I _knew_ sophomore year for sure. I would watch you at glee and see how happy you were, and it made my heart soar to see you like that." She watched as the corners of Brittany's mouth started to curl up into a smile before her wife bit her lip to hide it. "I couldn't care less about anybody else in that place, but the feeling I would get seeing you be so carefree in that choir room made me realize that you held a part of my heart that no one else ever could. I was too afraid to figure out what that meant then, but I think I knew what it was."

Santana took a deep breath, giving herself a moment to consider if she should continue. Brittany looked up at her then, meeting her eyes with her own blue ones full of love and acceptance, and it gave her the confidence to continue. "But I am pretty sure I fell in love with you the first time I saw you at Cheerios tryouts freshman year. I was so nervous, and then I saw this beautiful blonde girl dancing in the corner of the gym, and my heart stopped beating. I had never felt like that before, and all I knew was that I wanted to get to know that girl more than I wanted anything else. And once I did, I wanted to be around her all of the time. I got all these weird flutters in my chest and tingles on my skin when she would smile at me or touch me, and when she finally kissed me I knew what I had been missing in my life. So I guess the answer to your question is my heart knew the moment I saw you that you were the one. It just took my brain a little longer to catch up."

Brittany was grinning by now, and Santana couldn't help but smile in return. "I always thought you fell a little bit in love with me when you were watching me then."

Santana's smile faded. "Wait, what? You saw me watching you dance?" Brittany nodded, and Santana groaned in embarrassment. "God, I can't believe you knew all this time that I was staring at you. And you never told me!"

Brittany giggled and Santana huffed. The blonde tried to kiss her, but she turned her face to the side in mock annoyance. "Awww, come on baby. It was cute! Don't be mad at me."

Brittany peppered the side of her face with kisses, finally causing her to laugh and turn to press their lips together for several lingering kisses before she pulled back, smiling. "I'm not mad, just embarrassed I never knew that you saw me watching you."

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," Brittany told her.

Santana gave her a grateful smile. She wanted to ask Brittany when _she_ knew, but was kind of afraid of the answer. She didn't want to find out that her feelings hadn't been reciprocated for a long time in their relationship. But, in the end, she realized it didn't matter if they weren't, because Brittany did end up falling in love with her at some point. She actually wanted to know when that moment was, as well.

"When did you know?"

Brittany smiled big at her, eyes twinkling. "Well, like you, I _knew_ sophomore year. One day at glee I saw you smiling at me, and I realized that I wanted to be the one to put that smile on your face every day. I knew then that what I had been feeling meant that I was in love with you, and not just that I loved you as a best friend. But I know that I fell for you freshman year." She paused then, and her face got serious, if not a little concerned. "I know I thought you were the prettiest girl I had ever seen when I first saw you and that I wanted to be your friend, but I don't think I fell in love with you then, I'm sorry."

Santana dismissed Brittany's concern with a shake of her head. "Don't be sorry, babe. I didn't think you were going to have fallen in love at first sight quite like I did."

Brittany smiled in thanks before continuing. "But it wasn't long after that when it started. I think I first started when you helped me with my locker after Sue had upset me in practice and you pinky promised me that you would always have my back. When your pinky touched mine, all the thoughts racing in my brain slowed down, which had never happened before. And I knew that you were special then, I just didn't know what it meant. I kept wanting to be around you all the time and I knew I liked it when we touched, but I thought that was just normal for a really good friendship. I knew for sure I was attracted to you later when I kept thinking about wanting to kiss you and stuff, and when we finally did kiss… my brain just, stopped… and the only thing I could think about was how good your lips felt. And that had never happened with anyone else before. I think that was the moment when I realized I liked you as more than a friend and I fell completely for you."

Santana felt tears start pooling in her eyes. She couldn't believe that she and Brittany had pretty much fallen for each other from almost the moment they met. This amazing woman in front of her had put up with so much crap from her because she had loved her and was willing to wait for her to get her shit straight so they could be together. "I'm so sorry I wasn't ready to be out back then. I wasted so much time being scared when we could have been together for so much longer."

Brittany brought her hands up to cup Santana's cheeks and brush away the tears that had started to fall with her thumbs. "No, no, no, Santana. We were so young then, and neither of us were really ready for the kind of feelings we had for each other. The love we share is a lot of pressure to put on a couple of fourteen and fifteen year olds. Everything worked out and we ended up exactly where we were supposed to. We are married and starting a new future and we have so much to look forward to. There is nothing to be sorry for."

Santana saw that Brittany was fighting back her own tears from seeing Santana upset, so she took a deep breath to calm herself down. Brittany was right. Even if she had come out earlier, they were really young and odds are they still would have had the bumps in the road they ended up dealing with anyways They had a lot of growing up to do before they could fully commit themselves the way they did after they got back together. Now was not the time to look back in regret when they had everything to look forward to.

Santana smiled at her wife and nodded, making Brittany's face soften in relief. "You're right. We ended up exactly where we were supposed to, and I know that we are going to be happily married 'til death do us part and have a beautiful family and a beautiful life together. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Brittany softly replied. She leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to Santana's lips, her thumbs caressing her cheeks as her hands still cupped the brunette's face. The kiss quickly turned passionate as they poured all of their love into it.

Santana tangled her hands in Brittany's hair, and just as she went to deepen the kiss, her phone went off with a text message notification. Brittany growled in annoyance as she pulled back from Santana's mouth, causing Santana to grumble.

"Seriously? Who the hell is bothering us on our honeymoon?" She rolled over to find her phone on the nightstand. She groaned as she saw who the message was from. "Why the fuck is the dwarf texting me?"

"Maybe they had Sectionals. I mean, it is almost Thanksgiving," Brittany said, getting excited.

Santana opened the message, knowing that her wife wouldn't rest until they found out how the New Directions had done at Sectionals. Hell, Santana wouldn't be able to get it off of her mind if she didn't find out if that was indeed what the message was about. She read the message and grinned. "They won Sectionals last night, babe!"

"They did? That is so awesome! I hope they make it to Nationals this year, and if they win we could say we helped them get another trophy for McKinley because we are super amazing!" Brittany was practically bouncing in excitement, and Santana laughed at her wife's response.

"Not going to argue that we're super amazing, but I think if they win Nationals it won't have much to do with us."

Brittany just rolled her eyes and poked Santana's stomach, which promptly growled loudly. The blonde looked down at Santana's belly in surprise before she broke out in laughter. Santana couldn't help but laugh a little, even though she was a little embarrassed at how loud her stomach just was.

"Brit, don't laugh at me!" She pushed at her wife's shoulder, which caused the blonde to roll over onto her back, holding her stomach as she laughed harder. Santana pouted at Brittany, trying to get the other woman to have some sympathy for her. When Brittany finally saw her face, her laughing subsided and she started to pout herself.

"Aww, baby, don't pout," she teased, running her thumb along at Santana's downturned lips. "Come on, we might as well get ready since apparently both of us are going to wither away into nothing unless we get some food soon."

Santana smiled quickly, pressed a quick peck to the blonde's lips and pulled back to get out of the bed. She turned to look at Brittany, seeing her wife's gaze locked onto her naked body with lust in her eyes. She smirked at the fact that her wife's attention was easily moved from getting food to getting sex.

"If we share a shower we can get ready that much quicker," she said huskily over her shoulder as she turned to walk to the bathroom.

Brittany jumped up from the bed to hurry quickly after her. "I'll wash your back if you wash mine."

Brittany caught up to her outside the bathroom door and grabbed her by the waist, turning her to bring the front of their bodies together and bringing her mouth down to place wet kisses down Santana's neck. Santana tilted her head to give better access and moaned as Brittany sucked lightly on her pulse point. She grabbed the blonde's head and pulled her up to bring her mouth to hers.

"If you're good, I'll make sure you get something delicious to eat," she breathed into Brittany's mouth before bringing their lips crashing together. Brittany whimpered, then deepened the kiss as she squatted down slightly to grasp the backs of Santana's thighs, lifting the smaller woman up. Santana wrapped her legs around her wife's waist as Brittany carried her the rest of the way into the bathroom.

It was a couple more hours before they ended up getting any food. They were both fine with that.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Okay, so this one is a bit shorter but it is really kind of the set up for the next part. Of course we are now departing from the girls' last real moments on the show, so everything from this point on is my own story. This is the beginning of their future.**

 **Thanks for your favorites, follows, reviews, etc. You guys really do amaze me by reading the stuff I write! Let me know what you think, I love to hear from you all!**

Chapter 21

Santana and Brittany made it back to Lima the week after Thanksgiving. Since they couldn't move into their apartment until after the first of the year, they decided to spend the Christmas and New Year's in Ohio again this year. It was a little weird spending so much time at their parents' places as a married couple. Santana felt like they shouldn't practically be living with their parents still, but it was only for a month, and it wasn't like their parents would let them get away with staying in another hotel for that long.

They enjoyed spending some final quality time with their families before they finally moved to New York. Santana loved the cute ornament the Pierces got for them to celebrate their first Christmas together as a married couple. And she appreciated the money her parents gave them to help them furnish their new apartment. Their families had been so great to them both, and Santana was beyond grateful that they were so supportive of her and Brittany's marriage.

Brittany had gotten a nice first check from Univision for "Queso por Dos." But they had gotten so many things with the wedding and over their travels and honeymoon that they decided to use the money toward stuff they would need for their place instead of buying each other elaborate Christmas presents.

Santana did end up getting Brittany a charm bracelet with a couple of charms that reminded her of her wife or their relationship. And Brittany had gotten Santana an engraved picture frame that housed a large portrait of them dancing together at their wedding. Santana saw the love between them in that picture, with her looking up at Brittany with a soft smile and the blonde smiling back lovingly as they held each other. The engraving said "I wanna dance with somebody who loves me" and had their names and the date of their wedding. Santana absolutely loved it.

After they rang in the New Year in Lima, they were headed to New York to move into their apartment. It had only taken them about a year and a half since they had first decided to move to New York, but they were finally making it happen. Brittany was upset that Lord Tubbington didn't want to go with them, and she didn't feel right about taking Lady Tubbington away from him. Santana spent most of their journey trying to cheer up the blonde about not being able to take her cats.

Thankfully, once they made it to the city, Brittany started to cheer up as the excitement of getting settled into their first real home together hit her. Santana was getting more and more excited herself as they neared their apartment, and the blonde's energy was rubbing off on her. They got to their building and got the keys from the building manager. They took the elevator up to their floor and dragged their bags to their door.

"This is it, babe," Santana said excitedly. "Home sweet home!"

Brittany grinned at her as the brunette unlocked the door and pushed it open. They walked in to their home, taking in the small yet clean kitchen area, the open living area and the small hall that they knew led back into the two bedrooms and bathroom. It wasn't posh by any standards, but it definitely wasn't a slum. It was a clean, spacious, affordable apartment in a good area and the two bedrooms allowed for a place for guests to stay.

Santana knew after living in the loft that it would be a good idea to have an extra room since they never knew what former glee member would drop by to stay for awhile. It was the perfect place for the two of them to start their married life.

"We finally made it," Brittany sighed in relief, dropping the bags she was carrying to the floor just inside the door.

Santana chuckled as she watched her wife walk to the middle of the living area and lie down on the empty floor on her back, spreading her arms and legs out as if she were making a snow angel. "Tired, BritBrit?"

Brittany lifted her head up to look at her and grinned, nodding her head. "It was a long trip, and I am glad to be home."

Santana smiled down at her before dropping her purse she was still holding next to the rest of their bags and laying down next to the other woman. She slid up to Brittany's side, and Brittany moved her arm down to her side so Santana could lie on her back with their shoulders and arms touching. Santana laced their fingers together as she turned her head to face the blonde. She found blue eyes already looking at her, sparkling with happiness and love.

"Hi," she said softly, gazing into her beautiful wife's face. She didn't think she could ever get enough of this kind of moment. That small period of time when everything is just so still and quiet and everything they ever wanted to say to each other can be seen in their eyes. These were the kind of perfect memories Santana wanted to be able to look back on when they are old and be able to pull all of those thoughts and feelings immediately to life.

"Hi," Brittany replied with a soft smile. She started caressing the back of Santana's hand with her thumb, and they were content to just lie on the floor like that, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. Brittany's eyes started to droop shut after a few minutes, and Santana could feel her own eyelids getting heavy. Apparently the trip wore them both out more than she had expected.

It felt like she had barely closed her eyes before the sound of her phone ringing caused her to jerk awake. Santana looked over and saw that Brittany's face had scrunched up in annoyance at the disturbance, and she couldn't help but grin at the adorable look on the blonde's face. She placed a quick peck to her lips, making Brittany smile, before getting up to answer her still ringing phone.

She checked the caller ID and saw her mother's info on the screen as she picked up the call. "Hey, mami, what's up?"

"Santana! I thought I told you to call me once you got to your apartment," Maribel scolded.

"What? We haven't been here long," Santana replied, confused.

"Mija, your flight landed almost three hours ago!"

Santana pulled the phone away from her ear to check the time. Sure enough, they had been sleeping for nearly two hours.

"Shit," she muttered before bringing the phone back to her ear. "Sorry, we fell asleep practically right after we walked in the door. I guess we slept for longer than I thought."

Santana turned to look at Brittany who had sat up on the floor with her knees bent, feet flat on the floor. She had crossed her arms to rest on her knees and lay the side of her head on her bicep to sleepily watch Santana on the phone. A lock of hair had fallen into the blonde's face, so Santana walked over to tuck the hair back behind her wife's ear. She couldn't resist continuing to run her fingers through the blonde locks, scratching her nails lightly against Brittany's scalp. Brittany hummed at the feeling, her smile growing.

She finally realized her mother was still talking when she heard her name over the phone.

"Sorry, what?"

Maribel just laughed. "Nevermind. I just wanted to make sure you and Brittany made it safe. I'll let you get back to your wife since she obviously has you distracted."

Santana smiled sheepishly, causing Brittany to quirk an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, we made it fine. Sorry for forgetting to call."

"Just try to remember to keep in touch, mija," her mother laughed. "And tell Brittany we say hi."

"I will. Love you, mami."

"Love you, too."

Santana disconnected the call and sat down next to Brittany, wrapping her arms around her wife's shoulders, pulling her into her body. Brittany leaned up for a kiss, which Santana happily returned. They kissed softly for a moment before pulling back. Brittany laid her head on Santana's shoulder, sighing contently. Santana rested her cheek against the blonde's head and squeezed her tightly.

"So, I take it we took too long of a nap?" Brittany asked finally.

Santana laughed lightly. "It wasn't too bad. But we probably should get a move on and find somewhere to buy a bed if we don't want to spend the night on the floor, too."

Brittany pulled back slightly so she could look up into Santana's face guiltily. "Sorry, baby. I didn't really mean to make us fall asleep."

"It's not your fault, Brit. We were both more tired than we thought. I just don't think we are going to get as much done as I had hoped considering it is already after 4."

"Seriously?" Brittany asked, surprised.

Santana nodded. "Yeah, that's why my mom was calling since she hadn't heard from us yet."

"Well, come on! We need to get a move on!" Brittany exclaimed, jumping up quickly and reaching down for Santana's hands to pull her up.

Santana giggled, pulling Brittany's hands to get her to sit back down. "Babe, relax. We can just push some things back to tomorrow. It isn't a big deal."

Brittany sat down and pouted slightly. "But we were supposed to have this big day moving into our apartment and picking out all of our furniture and celebrating tonight with hot sex to break in our new bed."

Santana scrunched her nose at how adorable her wife was, and she saw Brittany's mouth twitch as she fought off a smile. She knew how that look on her face could affect her wife. It was sometimes the only defense she had against the blonde's pout. "Well, we can pick out most of the furniture and stuff tomorrow. But let's go find us a bed somewhere that can hopefully be delivered today. Then we can go grab some dinner somewhere and bring it back here so we can relax a bit and recover from our trip. How does that sound?"

Brittany started to smile then. "That sounds perfect, honey." Then she smirked. "Can we still have hot sex tonight to break in our new bed?"

Santana smiled lustfully back at her wife. "Babe, we are going to have hot sex tonight with or without a new bed," she replied, her voice deepened with desire.

Brittany grinned. "Score."

She pulled a giggling Santana in for a kiss, which deepened quickly. Santana whimpered when she felt the blonde's tongue start to play with her own. When she felt Brittany's hands start to play at the hem of her shirt, she knew she had to stop things before they went further. She would never stop wanting her wife, but if they continued what they were doing then they would definitely be sleeping on the floor that night.

She reluctantly broke the kiss, making Brittany moan in disappointment. "Sorry, Brit. As much as I would love to continue this, we really need to go find a bed. I don't think either of our backs would appreciate sleeping on a hard floor all night."

"Fine," Brittany huffed. She stood and pulled Santana up to her feet. Suddenly, her face broke into a smile. Santana looked at her questioningly, and she just shook her head as if she couldn't put what she was thinking into words. "I am just so happy, Santana. I can't wait to start making this our home."

Santana smiled back, leaning in to wrap her arms around Brittany's waist and laying her head against her wife's chest as Brittany brought her arms up around her back to hold her. "I can't wait either, Brittany."

* * *

Santana and Brittany settled into their home quickly. They enjoyed picking out their furniture together and decorating the apartment. Brittany's parents ended up making a trip out there not long after they moved in to bring them their wedding presents and other items they wanted to bring with that they couldn't bring on the plane. Before they knew it, they were fully moved in and had established a pretty normal routine in their daily lives. They couldn't have been happier.

Brittany ended up finding a job at a dance studio teaching kids. It didn't pay that great, but she loved it and it kept her passion for dance alive since she didn't have as much opportunity to use her dance skills much anymore. She took another consulting job, but this one was much shorter and she could work from home. Plus, Univision was airing "Queso por Dos" and they were still getting a decent check for the broadcast.

Santana ended up getting her job back at the diner to have something to occupy her time. Plus, she enjoyed being able to perform there and earn a paycheck. She was going to continue working there at least until they started classes at NYU in the summer. They had received their acceptance letters shortly after they moved, and Santana was excited to start back at school.

She really believed that she had found the right path for her future. She had started living her dream by marrying Brittany. Now she just needed to continue down this road and life would continue to be everything she could have ever hoped.

Santana was looking through the course offerings with Brittany so they knew what classes to register for. There were so many classes to choose from! She could take drama or music courses if she wanted, or even take some dance classes with her wife. They both wanted to take advantage of attending as many elective courses together as they could, since Brittany was going to major in mathematics.

"Hey, BritBrit, what do you think about taking a music class together?"

"Is it like learning to play an instrument? Or do we get to sing like in glee?" Brittany wasn't as musically inclined as Santana, but she did enjoy singing and performing.

"I don't know. I am sure we can find something we both want to take. I know I would like to be able to sing with you," she told the blonde.

"If we find something like that, then I definitely want to do that with you," Brittany said as she looked through her own pamphlet of course listings. "What do you think about taking like English and History classes together? You know you helped me through most of those in high school anyways, so it would help if we were in the same classes."

"Sure, babe. We can try to schedule as many of those classes together as we can."

Brittany smiled gratefully at her. "This is going to be so much better than when we were off at college on our own. We can be in classes together again, and we can meet for lunch on campus and walk to class together and stuff. And everyone will be jealous of how awesome and in love we are."

Santana laughed as Brittany became more enthusiastic as she spoke. "Of course everyone will be jealous. I have the most beautiful wife in the world."

Brittany leaned over and gave Santana a quick peck before pulling back. She got a slightly sad look her face before she next spoke. "I don't like that we won't be able to take all of our classes together, though. Like, once we get all our basics done, we won't be able to take any of the same courses at all."

Santana smiled softly at the blonde. "That's only because I'm not smart enough to take all those genius level math courses you will be acing," she teased. Brittany gave a small smile back, and Santana took her wife's hand in her own, squeezing it gently. "Brit, once we get to that point, it won't matter if we aren't in that many classes together. We will still be able to meet up on campus and we will always be coming home to one another every night. Plus, we can always do something non-school related together, like take a class at your studio or join a club or something."

Brittany truly smiled then. "That would be fun! I would love to be able to do dance classes with you. Or even do a musical or a play together!"

"That would be so much fun!"

Santana thought about how amazing that would be to be able to perform together like they did back in high school or when they were touring with Mercedes. She loved being able to perform with Brittany. It was like combining all of the things they loved in one event: singing, dancing, entertaining an audience, and each other.

"I really like the idea of us having something to do together like that, Santana," Brittany stated. "I just feel like we need to have something outside of home and school where we can spend time with each other."

"I understand, babe," Santana agreed. "Especially since we won't see each other as much once we start taking different classes. And with our jobs taking us away from each other more than we're used to, it would be nice to have something that we can do together for fun. Besides date nights, of course."

Brittany grinned, eyes twinkling at the thought of their date nights. "Of course."

Santana leaned over and bumped her shoulder with the blonde's playfully, but Brittany pulled her into her body and lay them both down on the couch. She pulled her legs up so she was lying fully on the couch, and Santana maneuvered herself so her legs were entwined with Brittany's and her torso was to the side of the dancer's. Santana lay her head on Brittany's chest, and her wife wrapped her arms around her, holding her close.

Santana sighed in happiness, settling further into the body beneath her. "I know things are going to get a little crazy over the next few years as we try to get through school. But it is all going to be worth it. And before you know it, we will be graduating and starting our careers and starting a family."

Brittany hummed in agreement. "I don't like the idea of being apart from you so much again. But I know that we can make it through anything, and it will definitely be worth it when all we have to worry about is only being away from each other for our jobs or if one of us has to take one kid to dance practice while the other has to take our other kid to a soccer game or something."

Santana couldn't help but smile at the picture her wife was creating of their future. She loved picturing having a family with Brittany. Especially since it was something she never could have even dreamed of just a few years ago. "What if both of our kids want to dance like their mommy, BritBrit?"

Santana felt Brittany's chest vibrate beneath her head with soft laughter at her attempt to plan her own future for their non-existent children. "Even better. Because then we can all be in the same place and we don't have to spend as much time apart. Especially since I know you won't want to miss anything of our kids' lives if you can help it."

Santana couldn't believe how well her wife knew her. Well, actually she could, but it amazed her that Brittany would know that she would want to be as involved in their children's lives as possible. She never wanted to miss a game, recital, performance, or conference if she could help it, unlike her and Brittany's own parents. She understood that her parents were busy and that Brittany's parents had to deal with a much younger child and left Brittany to fend for herself a lot, but she never wanted her kids to feel like they were unimportant. Brittany understood that about her, and that is why she was the perfect match for Santana.

Santana lifted her head to look into Brittany's eyes. Her wife smiled up at her lovingly, a knowing look in her eyes. Santana would never stop being thankful for being so lucky to have Brittany choose her.

"I love you, Brit. I can't wait for our future together," she said softly, conveying all of her love and hope for their life together in her eyes as she gazed down at the blonde.

"I love you, too." Brittany reached up and tangled her hand in Santana's hair in order to pull her down for a soft kiss. One peck turned into two, which morphed into a lingering meeting of their lips. Santana sighed happily before pulling away and settling back down to lay her head on Brittany's chest.

They lay there, relaxed, as Brittany caressed her hand softly up and down Santana's arm. The dancer's movements started to slow and Santana could tell that she was starting to get sleepy as her breathing started to deepened. She felt herself start to doze off, protected in her wife's arms, to dream of what happiness their life had in store for them. Santana knew this was just the start to their future.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: We are moving into the future now. There are going to be time jumps because this is the last part, and I wanted to keep the consistency of the 3 chapters per part. So sorry if I disappoint any of you with the way the story jumps ahead.**

 **I also made a really cheesy decision in this chapter, so I hope you all like it. I debated with myself for awhile before just going for it. I think you will figure it out when you get to that part... Let me know what you think about it! This chapter has a lot of fluff and some smut thrown in for good measure. So enjoy. I hope?**

 **Love the reviews, as usual. I try to thank everyone who I can PM, and if I can't PM you then THANK YOU! And thanks for the follows, favorites, etc. I appreciate it guys!**

Part 8- The Future

Chapter 22

Spring 2017

Santana couldn't believe how fast two years had gone by. They had been studying so hard and piling on as many credits as they could to try to get their schooling done as quickly as they could. Brittany continued to teach at the dance studio and did a few more consulting jobs that paid pretty well.

Santana had recorded an album with Mercedes' label after the woman convinced the producers to do so after they saw her on the singer's mall tour. The album didn't sell that great due to Santana's refusal to leave her wife and school in order to tour to promote it, but it saw decent enough sales with Mercedes' promotion of it to her own fans.

As Santana had predicted, going back to school with Brittany had been awesome. It was great to be able to go to campus with her wife and return home to each other every night. Most of the classes that they took together tended to be boring core curriculum courses, so Santana and Brittany were both grateful that they were able to go together to help each other through the tedious work.

After making it through their basic classes, they saw a little less of each other as they both knew would happen. Santana was glad they had decided to make sure to do something together outside of school to spend that extra time with each other they didn't get from not being in the same courses anymore. They had done a couple of dance classes, performed in a couple of plays, had roles in a couple of Artie's film school productions, and had even joined an acapella singing group for a little while.

That last one didn't last very long since Santana couldn't stand the group leader's attitude. Once the woman had insulted Santana's wardrobe, Brittany had had enough and marched them out of the building after she delivered her own brand of insults. Santana had been so turned on at her wife defending her that they went back home and had sex on the kitchen counter.

Santana was doing really well in her studies, and was glad she only had another year to go due to her taking the maximum credit load and going to summer sessions. She was planning on doing an internship at a big PR firm this summer. The fact that she could tell the firm's managers that she already had the promises from the women themselves to be the publicist for Mercedes Jones, recording star, and Rachel Berry, former and future Broadway star, had pretty much guaranteed her the spot. She only hoped that it would help her land a job once her schooling was finished.

Though both Santana and Brittany had made some new friends through the university and their activities in the performing arts, both of them always found time to spend with their glee family. Having Rachel, Artie, Kurt, and Blaine in the same city meant they could meet up regularly. But it wasn't too uncommon to have Mercedes, Quinn, Tina, or Puck drop by for a visit. They kept in touch with Mike, Sam, and Sugar as well, and they would make sure to visit Sam and check in on Mr. Schue and the glee clubs at McKinley when they went back to Lima to visit their families.

Santana and Brittany's marriage was wonderful. Like any normal relationship, they had arguments and spats, but they could never be angry with each other for long. And the make-up sex was always super hot. They always worked through their issues, and they were more in love now than ever before.

Since Santana knew Brittany missed Lord and Lady Tubbington, she had gotten her wife a kitten for Christmas the first year in their apartment. Brittany had been so excited to see the little ball of fur. She dubbed the cat Dame Whiskers. Santana had never been that fond of cats, but little Whiskers grew on her and she treated the cat like their baby as much as her wife did.

She was considering getting another kitten as a graduation present since Brittany was graduating from NYU with her bachelor's degree in mathematics soon. The blonde had made it through the core curriculum with Santana's help, and had breezed through her math courses. She had challenged herself with some physics classes, but even those became easy for her. She had tested out of so many math classes that her professors had decided to have her work with them on research to earn credits to graduate. Still, Brittany had gone through her curriculum so fast that she was able to graduate after six semesters, including summer terms. Santana was so extremely proud of her wife, and bragged on her whenever she could.

They were lounging around the apartment the weekend before Brittany's graduation ceremony as Santana was trying to decide how they should celebrate. Brittany was sitting on the couch with her feet propped up on the coffee table while Santana lay on her back with her head in the blonde's lap. Some type of cooking show was on TV, but neither of them were really paying attention to it.

"Hey, BritBrit? What do you want to do to celebrate your graduation?" Santana asked.

Brittany shrugged her shoulders before looking down into Santana's face. "I don't know. I mean, I figured we would go out to dinner with our parents to celebrate since they are coming in for the ceremony. But I don't think we should do like a party or anything. It isn't like I'm not going right back in the fall to work on my Master's and PhD."

Santana pouted a little. "Why don't you want a party? It is a big deal you're graduating from college. Besides, I like to show everyone how much of a genius my gorgeous wife is, and I can't do that if we don't have people around for me to brag to."

Brittany giggled at her. "Baby, you have bragged to anyone who will listen to you for the past month about me. I don't think there are too many more people you could brag to. I mean, Rachel, Kurt, and Blaine are avoiding getting together with us since you've worn them out with it."

Santana huffed. "I can't help it if I'm proud of you. We had to deal with Kurt bragging about Blaine being cast in that weird play off Broadway and Artie going on and on about how his silent film was up for some pointless school award and Rachel going on about whatever new accomplishment she supposedly made. Why can't they listen when we have something to brag about?"

Brittany rolled her eyes and chuckled. "They do listen. They just don't want to listen to you talk for 45 minutes about how hot I am going to look in my cap and gown when I accept my diploma."

Santana smirked up at the blonde. "Well you will be super sexy in your cap and gown, babe. You're always sexy."

"No, you're always sexy," Brittany retorted. She pulled one of Santana's hands up to press a kiss to it before lacing their fingers together and resting their clasped hands on the brunette's stomach. Santana laughed, ignoring the fact that she wanted to argue with her wife over who was sexier.

She started playing with Brittany's hand on her stomach, watching as her fingers fiddled with the long, lean digits of the blonde's hand. "Well if you don't want a party, what do you want as a present?"

She felt Brittany slightly tense beneath her head as the blonde held her breath. That was an unusual reaction for a fairly straightforward question. Santana tilted her head back to look up at Brittany. Her wife had her gaze tilted away from her, and she worried at her bottom lip with her teeth as if she was afraid to tell Santana what was on her mind.

"Brittany?" Santana was a little nervous. She had no clue what was on the blonde's mind. If it was enough to make Brittany nervous about telling her about it, it was enough to make her nervous about hearing it.

Brittany finally turned her head to look at her. She tugged at Santana's hands. "Sit up, sweetie." Santana complied, tucking her legs beneath her as she turned to face the other woman. Brittany turned her body to face Santana, tucking one leg under her and leaving the other resting on the floor. She took Santana's hands in hers and met her eyes nervously. "There is something I would like, Santana."

"Okay," Santana said hesitantly. "What is it?"

Brittany sucked in a deep breath before looking down at their hands lying on the couch between them. "Iwannahaveababy," she mumbled in a rush.

Santana's eyes widened and her heart started pounding. Surely she hadn't heard what she thought she did. "What?"

Brittany looked back up, meeting her gaze. "I want to have a baby."

Santana fought of a small panic attack. She felt her eyes grow wider and she sucked in a breath in surprise. Her eyes darted around the room as if she could find proof that she had landed in some sort of crazy dream or something. She found nothing to show that this wasn't very real life, so she turned back to meet very nervous blue eyes watching her.

"Brit, there is no way we can have a baby now," she argued. "I'm still in school, and you are going back in the fall to work on your Master's and PhD. How would we have time to take care of a kid? Besides, neither of us really have a job so we don't have the money to have a baby."

Brittany smiled softly at her, recognizing her panic. Santana saw a strange glint in her wife's eye that made her even more nervous, however, as the blonde seemed to gain some confidence. "Well, you know that I am going to be working at the university for the research department while I study. So I technically will have a paying job. Plus, I can still do some consulting work if needed here and there. Not to mention the fact that you still book commercials here and there, so you do work, too."

Santana opened her mouth to argue, but Brittany silenced her with a look before she continued. "And we do have money. Even though Univision didn't renew "Queso por Dos" for another season, we have pretty much saved every dollar they paid for it. And we saved all of the money from your album sales. So we will have money for the procedures and the doctors and everything we will need."

"But how will we have time to take care of a baby if we are both still in school and working?" Santana conceded they had the money, but she wasn't convinced they were ready for the time commitment that would be needed.

Brittany didn't look concerned, however. "Well, you know we already agreed when we talked about having a family before that we wanted me to carry first. And the odds of me getting pregnant right away and having the baby during this coming school year are pretty slim. I should be able to finish my Master's without a problem by the end of the next school year since I already have completed a lot of graduate level work. And my PhD won't take much more after that, realistically, since I can work on it while I am working. If I have the baby over the summer, I won't have to worry about taking a break, just taking a maternity leave from work. Plus, you will be done with school next year and you will just have to worry about work, so our schedules won't be so crazy."

Santana paused as her wife's logic sunk in. Brittany had evidence to invalidate every argument she could come up with. That was the problem with being in love with a genius. She just wasn't sure if she was ready for them to start their family yet. The thought of having a baby was a terrifying one. They were so young still, there is no way they were ready.

"Are you sure you don't want a kitten instead?" Santana asked meekly.

Brittany giggled at her. "Well, I won't argue against a kitten. I'm sure Dame Whiskers would like a playmate. But I think it's time for us to have a baby, Santana."

"But Brit, we're only 23 years old. How are we even old enough to take on that kind of responsibility?" Santana was feeling the panic start to tighten her throat and she looked down at their clasped hands as she tried to swallow it down.

Brittany let go of one of her hands to cup her chin and tilt her head up so she could meet her eyes. "Santana, look at me." Brittany smiled at her as her eyes met the blue orbs looking deep into her brown ones. "It is scary to take this step, I know. It is scary to me, too. But it's the right step, baby. And deep down you know it. We're ready for this. _You're_ ready for this. You are going to be a great mom."

Santana felt herself calm as she gazed into her wife's loving eyes. The more she thought about Brittany being pregnant, the more the idea grew on her. And the thought of holding a beautiful little girl or boy they could call their own brought a smile to her face. Brittany caught it and grinned at her, and Santana saw the slight tension in her wife's body melt away.

"Do you really think I will be a good mom?" She just needed to hear her wife's confidence in her once more.

"I know it. Remember, I am an expert when it comes to you, and I can tell you without a doubt that you will be a wonderful mama," Brittany stated matter-of-factly.

Santana grinned, starting to fall in love with the idea of starting their family. "You are going to be great, too."

"Sooo, is that a yes?" Brittany asked teasingly.

Santana nodded, grinning widely. "It's a yes. Let's have a baby, Brit."

Brittany squealed in excitement as she threw her arms around Santana's neck, squeezing her tightly. "I am so happy, Santana! I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

Brittany pulled back in order to bring their mouths together in a passionate kiss. Santana returned the kiss enthusiastically, and it quickly became heated as their desire for each other ignited. Santana wanted to make love to her wife more than anything right now, and she tangled her fingers in blonde hair to deepen their kiss even further.

She felt Brittany's hands grasp her elbows and apply pressure to pull her up off the couch as the blonde stood up. Brittany's hands then went to her hips as she walked backwards toward their bedroom, keeping their lips locked together. They bumped into the walls a couple of times before they finally made it to their bed.

Brittany pulled away suddenly, much to Santana's dismay. She tried to pull her wife back, but the blonde resisted as she turned to the nightstand where they kept some of their accessories. Santana couldn't help but get a little more aroused as she watched Brittany pull out their strap-on and hold it out toward her with a look of pure lust on her face.

"Let's make a baby," she husked.

Santana felt herself get wetter at her wife's voice, but couldn't resist teasing the blonde a little. "You know I can't actually get you pregnant with that, right babe?" She smirked at Brittany, who rolled her eyes.

"As much as I wish you could so we could have a baby that is a little bit of both of us, I know that isn't possible," she stated a little sadly. "I just kind of want to pretend a little that we can though, so it kind of feels like we are making a baby together, you know?"

Santana's face softened at Brittany's words. She understood what her wife wanted, and to be honest, she felt the same way after she thought about it. She took the toy from Brittany's hands and made sure the blonde was looking at her before she spoke.

"Let's make a baby, Brittany," she said, pouring all of her love into her words for her beautiful wife and future mother of her child.

Brittany bit her lip as she started to smile. Santana cupped the blonde's cheek as she leaned in to place a soft kiss to her lips. Brittany had other ideas, however, and once Santana's lips met her own, she wrapped her arms around Santana's back to pull her in tight and press their lips harder together.

Santana couldn't help but moan into the contact, and things heated up quickly. They shed each other's clothes in a matter of minutes, and Santana soon found herself with the toy strapped around her hips. Brittany lay on her back as Santana knelt between her legs while the brunette placed wet kisses down the blonde's neck and chest. She made sure to stop and pay attention to Brittany's breasts, sucking and nipping at the soft mounds, taking the hardened nipples into her mouth to make the woman writhe in pleasure beneath her.

Santana moved her left hand in between Brittany's thighs to run her fingers through her wife's slick folds. She was practically dripping, and Santana knew that she was ready for her. She slipped two fingers inside to make sure, and Brittany's hips lifted as she groaned in pleasure. She pumped in and out a few times before she pulled her fingers out and guided the silicone member to the blonde's entrance.

Santana moved up to kiss Brittany deeply as she started to slowly slide the toy inside. It was a little tight, but Brittany was extremely wet so it slid it a little ways without much resistance. Santana pulled her hips back slightly before moving them slowly forward again to inch in a little further. Brittany whimpered into her mouth, and after a few more times, she was all the way in.

She stilled, letting Brittany adjust to being filled completely. Santana moved to press kisses down the blonde's jaw toward her ear.

"I love being inside you like this," she breathed into the dancer's ear, and she felt Brittany shudder beneath her.

"Mmmm, me too. I need you to fuck me now," Brittany moaned throatily.

Santana felt her arousal spike and she groaned, tucking her face into the crook of Brittany's neck to suck on her pulse point as she pulled her hips back and thrust forward again deeply. Brittany gasped and tilted her head back at the feeling, and Santana took advantage of the exposed skin on her neck to kiss and nip at the skin as she pumped in and out of her wife.

The base of the toy pressed deliciously against her own clit every time she thrust inside Brittany, and she soon began whimpering along with the blonde. She pushed herself up to get better leverage and so she could watch Brittany's face as she pumped in and out of her. The blonde reached down to dig her fingers into Santana's ass, encouraging her hips to thrust harder. Santana gave her wife what she wanted.

Brittany started moaning beneath her. She was biting her lower lip, her face flushed in pleasure. Santana felt herself getting more worked up at the pleasure written all over Brittany's face. The blonde's hips rose up to meet her thrusts, and Santana adjusted again to get a better angle. She knew that she would hit her wife's sweet spot better, and sure enough, Brittany's eyes rolled back as she groaned Santana's name and her finger's dug in harder as she wrapped her legs around Santana's hips.

Santana kept thrusting as the sweat started to build up on their bodies. She felt herself getting closer to her peak, so she put all of her weight on one arm so she could bring her left hand back in between their bodies to stroke Brittany's engorged clit to bring her wife even higher.

"Shit, Santana!" Brittany cried out.

Santana could tell Brittany was getting close to orgasm. "I'm almost there, babe, are you?"

Brittany just nodded, unable to form words as she breathed rapidly, gasping for air and whimpering on her exhales. Santana quickened her pace, and the toy hit her clit harder every time. She knew she wouldn't last much longer now.

"Come for me, Brittany," she demanded. Brittany's hips rose up to meet her one more time before her back arched and her head rolled back. Her legs clamped around Santana's hips as her eyes clenched shut and she cried out as her orgasm washed over her. Santana kept pumping as best as she could, and the stimulation on her clit from the toy as she thrust combined with the sight of her wife falling apart beneath her sent her careening over the edge into her own intense orgasm.

"Ff-uuuck, Br-ittt!"

She kept up her motions as long as she could, hips spasming uncoordinatedly before she collapsed onto Brittany. The blonde was beginning to recover from her orgasm, and Santana felt Brittany's arms wrap around her and her hands run soothingly along her back as she started to get her own rapid breathing under control. Brittany's legs had fallen from around her hips, and once she was able to move, she slowly slid the toy out of Brittany, causing her to whimper a little at the loss.

She moved hurriedly to discard the strap-on so she could return to Brittany's arms. They lay together, kissing lazily as they enjoyed this closeness. Santana moved her hand down to rest over Brittany's flat abdomen, and as she continued kissing her wife, she pictured a baby growing beneath her hand. Her heart fluttered as she felt an overwhelming feeling of love flow through her. As much as she wished she could have just planted a baby in there herself, she still couldn't wait for the time when she got to watch Brittany's belly grow with their future son or daughter.

Brittany was definitely right. They were ready to start their family. Then again, Brittany was usually right. That was pretty much a given. Santana was so happy she was married to a genius.

* * *

Spring 2018

It didn't take them long to find a good clinic for the procedure. It didn't even take them long to find a donor they both liked. They picked a Latino in his late twenties who was a lawyer. He had dark hair and brown eyes, and was athletic but also played the guitar and piano. It did take a few times before the insemination took, however.

Brittany finally became pregnant in the fall. She was right again, of course, and wouldn't be due until July when Santana would be finished with school and Brittany would be finished with her Master's. She had a fairly easy pregnancy, despite some bad morning sickness at the beginning. That only lasted about a month before she was back to normal.

She didn't even have any unusual cravings, although Santana thought she was a little disappointed by that. For some reason, Brittany was looking forward to craving weird food combinations, but the only thing she really ended up craving was strawberry milkshakes.

Santana was extremely attentive to her wife, and any sign of discomfort or stress caused her to jump to Brittany's side to help in any way needed. But Brittany was so laid back and easy going with her pregnancy that Santana didn't need to do much. The blonde was easily able to continue her studies and work, and Santana always made sure to stop by or call in between classes to check on her. Brittany found her over-protectiveness adorable, thankfully. Otherwise they might have gotten into some arguments over Santana's attentiveness.

Brittany's baby bump started to pop once she hit her fifth month, and Santana thought Brittany looked so beautiful. Brittany was a little self-conscious over her changing body, but Santana made sure to tell her how sexy she found her and showed her how attractive she was every time she touched her body.

They always had a very healthy sex life, but Brittany's sex drive ramped up from the pregnancy much to Santana's delight. She loved being able to play with her wife's pregnancy enhanced breasts, and the fact that Santana was always more than willing to make love to her gave Brittany more confidence in believing that Santana still wanted her.

Once Brittany's belly started getting bigger, however, they had to get a little more creative in the positions they used during their sexy times. Brittany particularly loved Santana penetrating her from behind now, either with her fingers or the strap-on. Santana found that position a big turn on as well.

But some days all Brittany wanted was for Santana to go down on her, which the brunette loved doing, but Brittany was so exhausted afterwards most times that she couldn't return the favor. Santana understood, but she couldn't help but feel a little frustrated those times after she was so worked up herself and got no release. Brittany always made it up to her the next time with interest, however.

All in all, Santana had to say that there were definitely more perks than drawbacks to Brittany's pregnancy. The stress and worry that something could happen to her wife and baby was the only thing that really bothered her. At least until they found that they couldn't decide on a name.

They had easily agreed on everything else. From how to decorate the nursery to what clothes they liked and if they wanted to breastfeed and so on; all were easily agreed upon decisions between them. They even were both excited about finding out the sex, and both were equally happy when they found out they were having a boy. But once they found out the sex, they decided to try to come up with a name they both liked and they couldn't agree on anything.

It was getting closer to May, and they had been going back and forth for a couple of months now suggesting and rejecting names. Santana was afraid that they wouldn't have a name for their son once he came into the world.

"Brittany, we are _not_ naming our son Prince," Santana argued, sighing in frustration.

They were sitting on their couch. Santana had Brittany's feet in her lap as she massaged them while her wife relaxed.

"But it would go along with Dame and Sir Whiskers," Brittany argued, naming the kitten they had gotten as a playmate for Dame Whiskers. "Plus, you know as bad as he is going to be spoiled, he is going to be our little prince."

Santana almost laughed, but shook her head instead. "Our son is not a cat, so his name doesn't need to go along with theirs. And, yes, he will be our spoiled little prince, but that doesn't mean we need to name him that. He needs a real name, babe. I still don't understand why you don't like the name Adrian."

"I do, but not as a first name," Brittany argued. "I would be fine with it as a middle name. I just want his first name to have meaning."

"And 'Prince' has meaning?" Santana scoffed.

"Well," Brittany began, biting her lip nervously. "I do have another idea. Something that really does have meaning."

Santana almost felt relief at this, but then realized that, if Brittany was nervous about suggesting it, that meant that she was unlikely to be receptive to it. Either that or Brittany really wanted her to like it, but was afraid she wouldn't.

"Okay. What is it?" She tried to sound encouraging so Brittany wouldn't be afraid to tell her.

Brittany pulled her feet off of Santana's lap and sat up, scooting back so the arm of the couch supported her back. It took her a little further away from Santana, however, so she pulled her knees up as much as she could with her growing belly and patted the couch cushion to indicate that Santana should move closer. So she did, and she rested a hand comfortingly on Brittany's knee, giving it a squeeze to let her know she was open to hearing whatever her wife suggested.

Brittany looked into her eyes imploringly before speaking. "Like I said, I really want his name to have meaning, particularly to us. So… I want to name him McKinley."

Santana fought her first instinct, which was to yell a resounding "hell, no", since it was obviously something Brittany was serious about wanting. She paused to give herself time to make sure there wasn't any disgust in her voice before speaking.

"Brit, why do you want to name our son after our high school?" There, that didn't sound too bad. "I mean, it isn't like either of us particularly liked that school. It was full of bullies who slushied us and didn't even want us kissing in public." Shit, that didn't sound very supportive.

Brittany chewed her lip again, and Santana could see a little hurt in the blue eyes she loved so much. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Brittany cut her off. "Well, there was some bad there, as there is usually some bad in anything. But there was also a lot of good. McKinley was where we first met. It was where we fell in love. It was where you first told me you loved me, and where I told you I loved you. Without it, we probably wouldn't have met and be where we are today."

Santana could understand Brittany's argument, but she still didn't know if she wanted to name their son after their high school. It was just a little strange, and her brow scrunched as she tried to reason out Brittany's logic. "Okay, but why McKinley? I mean, it was _William_ McKinley High, so why not William? It is at least more of a traditional name."

Brittany nodded once. "It is, but it is also Mr. Schue's name. And as much as I like Mr. Schue and as much of a role as he played in our lives and relationship, he wasn't all that supportive of us. Us as individuals I mean, not that he was against our relationship because he wasn't. He just had his favorites and we weren't it. He was a great glee director, and I love him, but I also don't want to name our son after him."

Santana agreed, nodding as she stroked her thumb across the bare skin of Brittany's knee. "You're right, I definitely don't want to do William. But still, babe… why McKinley?"

Brittany started to grin, a glint appearing in her eyes. "I figured we could name him McKinley after where we met and fell in love. But we could call him Mac for short. Because you sang Fleetwood Mac songs both times you sang a song to me specifically to tell me how you felt before we got together. I know we didn't sing the Fleetwood Mac version of 'Landslide' but it was still originally their song, and 'Songbird' was definitely theirs. And by calling him 'Mac' we can honor the love we have for each other because it would make us think of those songs that hold a special meaning for us."

Santana listened to Brittany's rapid rambling of her impassioned plea. As the words started to sink in, she really started to think about the reasoning Brittany was putting behind her name suggestion. As much as it was strange for her to think of naming their son after her high school, Brittany was right in that it would commemorate where they met and fell in love. And if they called him 'Mac' instead, that definitely sounded better and Santana knew that every time they said their son's name, they would think about the songs Santana used to show Brittany just how much she loved her.

It meant a lot for Brittany to want to have a reminder of that forever by naming their son something that would make her think of it. Because it meant that Brittany felt those moments were just as important as Santana did and cherished them, just as she would cherish their son.

The more she thought about it, the more she fell in love with the idea. She looked up to meet twinkling blue eyes, and she knew that Brittany had watched her come to the realization that she loved the name and Brittany knew what her answer would be.

"So, McKinley Adrian then?" Santana asked with a smile.

Brittany's face burst into a grin, and tears came to her eyes as she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! That's perfect!"

Santana felt tears of happiness come to her own eyes. "We finally have a name for our son, Brit. It makes it feel so much more real."

Brittany grabbed the hand that Santana had resting upon her knee and squeezed it. "I can't wait to meet him, Santana. I love him and you so much."

Santana watched as tears started to trickle down her wife's cheeks. She felt her own tears start to fall. She pushed gently on Brittany's knees to move them out of the way. Brittany stretched her legs straight, and Santana leaned forward to brush the tears off of her cheeks before kissing the blonde softly.

"I love you, too," she said as she pulled back. She bent down to press a loving kiss to Brittany's belly, rubbing it gently as if she was caressing their baby. "I love you, Mac. Your mommies are excited for you to get here."

She lay down next to Brittany, squeezing herself between the back of the couch and her wife as she wrapped her arm around the blonde so they could relax. She rested her head on Brittany's chest as she held both her wife and child, keeping them close in her arms and her heart.

* * *

Summer 2018

The rest of Brittany's pregnancy practically flew by. Santana finally graduated, and the Lopezes and Pierces flew in to celebrate. Everyone was excited about her finishing school and for the fast approaching arrival of Mac. Thankfully, their parents weren't planning on staying until Brittany's due date because Santana thought she would go crazy worrying about her wife and dealing with her parents and in-laws at the same time.

It became harder for Brittany to work as she got closer to her due date. She had talked to her fellow researchers and they agreed to let her go on a leave to prepare for the birth once school was out. They were both grateful when school had ended and Brittany could rest for a little over a month before she gave birth.

Thanks to Santana's connections with both current and future stars, she easily landed a PR job after graduation. Mercedes signed on with her immediately, and brought a couple of people from her label that Santana had met and worked with previously. Rachel had just finished up at NYADA and was in the process of auditioning for some big Broadway roles, so she hired Santana as well. Thanks to the success of her initial Broadway debut in 'Funny Girl', she had some good chances to get roles despite her abrupt departure from the musical and utter failure of her TV show. Santana knew she could spin good press for Berry by saying she learned her lesson by recommitting herself to NYADA to finish her education and would no longer be considered difficult to work with. With Rachel as a client on top of Mercedes, Santana was put to work right away.

She was now earning a steady and pretty fat paycheck, so she decided to stop auditioning for and shooting anymore commercials or student films. She did want to continue to do some open mic nights and stuff like that, but not until Mac was a little older. Santana was just content to go to work and come home to spend time with her wife before the baby was born.

Finally, Brittany went into labor around mid-July. It was a couple days before her due date, which sent Santana into a little panic. Brittany was a little panicked as well, so Santana had to calm herself down in order to calm Brittany down so they could make it to the hospital in one piece.

As easy as Brittany's pregnancy was, they were expecting an easy delivery. They got the complete opposite. Brittany struggled, and Santana got really nervous but pushed through it to encourage her wife to keep going. After nearly 24 hours of grueling labor, their son finally decided to make his appearance.

McKinley Adrian was born in the wee hours of the morning, and they were both exhausted. But when they saw their son for the first time, it didn't even matter anymore. Santana held her son and looked at him with pure love and awe. He was surely the most beautiful baby in the world. He had a shock of dark hair, like hers, but bright blue eyes like Brittany's. She just knew he was going to be an incredibly handsome man when he grew up. She carried him, squalling in ire at leaving his nice warm home, to place him in Brittany's waiting arms.

Brittany and Santana were both crying tears of joy, laughing a little at how angry Mac was. After settling in Brittany's arms for a minute, he started to calm. Santana pressed a kiss to Brittany's forehead, and Brittany turned her head up in response so Santana could kiss her lips.

"Isn't he the most handsome baby?" Brittany asked, awe evident in her voice.

Santana nodded. "He is, Brittany. You did great, babe. I can't believe you made him."

Brittany shook her head adamantly. " _We_ made him Santana. Our love made him. He is just as much yours as he is mine."

Santana felt her throat constrict as tears started to roll faster down her face. "Yeah, he is. God, Brit, I love you so much. And I love him so much."

"Me, too," Brittany replied. "How is it possible to love someone this much that you just met?"

Santana gave a small laugh. "Well, I did it once before, so I guess I had some preparation this time."

Brittany gave her a knowing smile, and Santana leaned in to press another kiss to her wife's lips. Santana's dreams had been coming true over the past several years. She had been growing happier and happier since living her life with Brittany was even better than she had ever dreamed. And now she just knew that her dreams could never compete with her reality. Her reality was so much better. She had married the love of her life. And they now had a beautiful son. It couldn't get much better than that.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Here is the second to last chapter. I don't have a lot to say about it, other than it is a lot like the last one ;)**

 **I hope you all enjoy it! And, of course, thank you to everyone for the follows, favorites, reviews, and just the reads in general! I love it!**

Chapter 23

Summer 2020

Santana couldn't have predicted how drastically their lives changed after Mac was born. She obviously knew things would be different since they were going to have a baby to take care of and it would no longer just be her and Brittany all of the time. But she didn't even picture how much of their lives their beautiful little boy would consume. Not that she was complaining, however. She wouldn't change a thing about the way things had turned out.

Brittany went back to teaching dance classes a couple nights a week to help get back in shape after giving birth. After her maternity leave was over, she balanced her time to continue working at the university and take care of Mac as well as finishing up her PhD.

Brittany used those few nights a week that she taught dance to get out of the house by herself and also so Santana could spend more one-on-one time with their son. Santana knew Brittany needed some alone time sometimes since she was the one who was responsible for Mac throughout most of the day. Plus, it gave her quality bonding time with the baby that she cherished. He grew so fast that Santana felt privileged to be able to be with him so much that she could see his development.

As he got older, Santana and Brittany realized just how cute their son was. His hair stayed as dark as Santana's, and it made a striking combination with the bright blue eyes he inherited from Brittany. Combined with his lightly tanned complexion, Mac was definitely going to be popular with the girls. Or maybe the guys. Santana wouldn't care either way, as long as he was happy.

And he definitely was a happy baby. He found pleasure in things the way Brittany did, as if he saw the same kind of magic in the world that his mommy saw. He was pretty laid back and it took a lot to get him upset. But when it did happen, Santana swore he went all Lima Heights. He had a temper like his mama's, and Santana wondered if it was possible some part of her got passed onto him. They were hoping that his mostly easy going nature would help them get through the rapidly approaching 'terrible twos' and Mac wouldn't morph into a little devil child.

Santana didn't know if she would be able to manage an ornery child every day on top of managing the supposed 'adults' she worked for. She absolutely loved her job, but there were times when all she wanted to do was go home and deal with her toddler as opposed to dealing with her clients.

Mercedes was easy to handle. All she really had to do was put out a few press releases here and there talking about a new album or tour date or, every once in awhile, discussing a date with some new guy.

A couple of her other clients, however, made her work hard for her money. One up and coming singer had some issues with drinking and a sex tape that Santana had to spin. Another artist had rumors swirling around his sexuality but wanted to remain closeted. Santana respected his decision, although she knew how hard of a life that would be for him, so she worked her ass off to protect him as best as she could. She only hoped that one day she wouldn't have to keep lying for him and he could live his life openly and happily.

The client that gave her the most trouble, however, turned out to be none other than Rachel Berry herself. Santana should have known that, after all of the drama and diva attitude the woman was famous for in high school, Rachel would give her the biggest challenge. It wasn't difficult to make Rachel's elopement to Jesse St. James after practically a week of dating into something positive since there was history between the couple. That caused the tabloids to back down on talk over judgment impairment due to substance abuse issues or pregnancy rumors.

But then Kurt and Blaine got baby fever after being around Mac, and Rachel decided to carry a baby for them during the middle of the run of her insanely popular Broadway show, which caused more rumors to fly. Because it was practically unheard of for a new Broadway star to nearly jeopardize her career to do something like that.

Santana couldn't believe some of the things people came up with. Her personal favorite was that Berry had an affair but just said she was carrying a Klaine child so her husband wouldn't find out about it. Santana had to issue so many press releases and set up so many interviews for the woman to try to keep things under control. Berry tended to freak out every time some magazine or tabloid or blog intimated anything bad about her, so Santana was definitely kept busy by the woman. Particularly as the night of the Tony Awards approached since Rachel was up for her very first award.

Santana and Brittany were supposed to attend a party at Rachel's house the night of the award show to celebrate her nomination and possible win. A lot of former glee club members were going to be there, and they had been looking forward to seeing them again and having the chance to get out of the house for some adult time. Unfortunately, they had been kept up all night by a very sick toddler. Mac had developed a pretty bad cough and runny nose, and then had started vomiting early that morning.

Santana knew there was no way either of them would leave their son when he was sick like that. Not to mention they were both exhausted from taking care of him throughout the night and morning. All she wanted to do was spend the night in her sweats relaxing as much as she could in between caring for Mac. She knew her wife felt the same way.

She was just getting ready to call Rachel to apologize for the fact that they wouldn't be able to make it when her phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Rachel calling, most likely with another crisis.

"Hello, Berry," Santana said as she answered the call. She settled back on the couch, propping her stockinged feet up on the coffee table.

"Santana! I know you told me not to talk about my rumored affair in any of the interviews if I win, but if I do win and a reporter asks me if I had an affair with Kurt shouldn't I talk about it?"

Santana rolled her eyes and held back a groan. Rachel was in fine form already due to her nerves. "Rachel, seriously? Anyone in their right mind who has met Kurt would know immediately that he would never sleep with a woman. I think you can safely ignore any idiot who would insinuate that you and he actually had sex with each other."

Rachel made a noise to concede Santana's point before continuing her own particular brand of crazy. "But what if someone asks if it was with Blaine instead?"

Santana chuckled. "Well that would be more believable. I mean, you did have that weird thing between you for like a day back in high school."

Rachel huffed. "Santana, that was a long time ago and we were both young and a little confused." She paused for a moment as if some horrible thought struck her. Santana could hear the irrational fear in the woman's voice as she spoke again. "Obviously nothing would ever happen between us, but do you think someone could have found out about that and is going to use that as proof we had an affair?"

"Berry, just don't talk about any supposed affair!" She practically yelled into the phone. She took a breath to calm herself, as she typically had to do during these types of conversations with Rachel, before she continued. "If any moron is stupid enough to bring up those rumors again, just tell them that you have already addressed that matter and will not answer any further questions related to that topic. And if they write anything remotely indicative of an affair between you and anybody, I will take care of it. Okay?"

"Okay," Rachel answered, sounding a little calmer.

"While I have you on the phone, I need to tell you that Brit and I won't be able to make it to your party tonight."

"What?" Rachel's voice went up high and Santana could swear her eardrum almost burst. "But what if I need you for something? What if I win and I need to know what to say in the interviews?"

"It isn't like I was going to go to the ceremony with you, Rachel. I wouldn't be able to help you with any of that anyways since I would be at your apartment. You would just as easily be able to reach me at home as at your place." God, she hated when Rachel was like this. She let out a sigh as she leaned her head back against the back of the couch. She saw Brittany come into the room out of the corner of her eye, so she tilted her head to give a tired smile to the blonde.

"But I think it is only appropriate that you be there as a friend for me. Not to mention our working relationship…" Santana barely paid any attention to Rachel's words as Brittany walked over to join her on the couch.

Her wife looked as tired as she felt. She was wearing sweatpants and had her blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun, and she had changed into a new tank top since Mac had gotten some of his mess on the one she was wearing before. Despite Brittany's unkempt appearance, or perhaps because of it, Santana couldn't help but think of how beautiful her wife was and how much she loved her.

"Is that Rachel?" Brittany whispered as she sat down heavily next to her. Santana just nodded as she grabbed the blonde's arm to pull her into her body. She wrapped her arm around Brittany's shoulder as she settled into her side, laying her head against Santana's shoulder and sighing in exhaustion.

"Santana, are you even listening to me?" Rachel's raised voice dragged her attention back to the phone. _Oops_.

"Sorry, Rachel, but Mac is really sick so I'm a little distracted. That's why we can't come tonight." Santana figured that would distract the other woman enough to make her forget that Santana hadn't been paying attention.

"Aww, poor baby! Why didn't you just say so? I definitely wouldn't expect you to leave the little guy when he is sick."

Santana snorted a little. At least pregnancy made Rachel a little more understanding, at least when kids were involved. "I was actually getting ready to call you to tell you that when you called me freaking out first."

"Don't you worry about me tonight. You guys just take care of your little man. I hope he feels better!"

Santana smiled a little at Rachel's concern for her son. "Thanks, Rachel. Hopefully all of the meds we've been pumping into him start working soon."

"And don't feel bad about missing the party. Quinn and Puck called earlier and said that they are extending their honeymoon in Paris for another week since they both apparently fell in love with the city. So they won't be there either." Santana smiled as she remembered her friends' wedding just this past month. Who would have guessed that after all of the crap in high school, Quinn and Puck would have actually stuck together and gotten married.

"Sounds like they are having a good time then. Just tell everyone else hi for us and that we hope we can get together again sometime soon. And though you don't need it because I am sure you're going to win, I just want to say good luck tonight."

Santana heard Rachel sniffle. "Thanks, Santana. That means a lot coming from you."

Crap, she didn't want to get all sentimental now. "Yeah, well, it isn't like you're up against anybody else who has much talent so you will probably just win by default."

"And there she is," Rachel laughed a little. "Get back to your son. I will call you if I have an emergency."

Santana disconnected the call and turned to press a kiss to Brittany's head as she tightened her arm around the blonde's shoulders.

"Mmmm, I'm so sleepy," Brittany mumbled. "Who knew taking care of a sick kid would wear you out this much?"

She smiled into Brittany's hair. "It's only because we both worry about him so much. You know we could have taken turns with him so one of us could get a little sleep."

Brittany chuckled. "I know. But I seem to remember a certain someone adamantly refusing to leave our son's side when I suggested that very thing. I wonder who that might have been?"

"It certainly wasn't me," Santana said innocently. "You must be thinking of someone else."

Brittany lifted her head to quirk her eyebrow at Santana. She fought to keep an innocent expression on her face, but it was hard when Brittany was looking at her like that.

"You're so stubborn," Brittany laughed. "If you were a little less stubborn, then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess and we would have at least gotten a little sleep."

Santana laughed then. "I'm stubborn? You wouldn't leave him just as much as I wouldn't!"

Brittany shrugged a little. "I can't help it. He's our baby and I can't stand not being able to be there to help him."

"And you know I feel the same way, babe." Santana hated feeling so helpless watching their son fight his virus. But she knew they were doing all they could to make him feel better, and that would have to be enough.

"I know," Brittany nodded. "And that is why I didn't argue with you about it."

Santana smiled at her wife. "You know me so well. I just hope he starts feeling better soon."

Brittany lay her head back down on Santana's shoulder and snuggled into her side. "Me, too. But he settled down to sleep pretty quickly this time, so I think he is starting to get over the bad part now."

Santana hummed in response. She realized one of them should try to get some sleep while Mac was napping, but she was too content to stay on the couch with Brittany to try to go to bed. She loved their son with all of her being, but she enjoyed the moments when she got her wife all to herself, too. Despite the past 24 hours filled with phlegm and vomit, their little family was everything she could have asked for.

"As exhausting as having to take care of a kid is, sick or not, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world," she told Brittany as she ran her hand lovingly along the blonde's arm as they cuddled together.

"Me either," Brittany replied happily.

Santana paused for a moment as she contemplated whether she should mention to Brittany what she was thinking about or not. But she had been thinking about it for a few weeks now, and really, what better time to talk about it than now?

"Babe?"

"Hmmm?" Santana could hear the sleepiness in Brittany's voice, so she turned to make sure her wife was awake. Santana's motion caused Brittany to tilt her head to meet her gaze, so she knew the blonde was paying attention.

"I know we talked about moving into a bigger place before we were going to have another kid, but I don't really want to wait to find a place first," she rushed out nervously.

Brittany blinked in surprise before she pulled back a little to sit up. "You want to have another baby?"

Santana looked at her hands in her lap nervously before she nodded. "Yeah, I do." She paused for a moment to take a deep breath. "It's just that Mac is almost two now, and everything is so great with him and with us and we're doing so well in our careers that I think it would be the perfect time to have another baby. Plus, we were planning on looking for a bigger place soon anyways. This would just help us get to looking a little faster."

Brittany was quiet for a moment, and Santana started to panic a little. If this was how Brittany felt when she told Santana she wanted to get pregnant, then Santana had a whole new admiration for her wife's courage. She was too scared to look up to find out what was going on in her wife's head. It wasn't until she felt Brittany's fingers under her chin that she was able to lift her eyes up.

When she did, she found Brittany's mouth turned up into an amused smile. Her beautiful blue eyes twinkled, and Santana started to relax.

"You seriously are asking to have another baby when we were up all night long with a sick toddler?" Santana could hear the amusement in her wife's voice, and the corners of her own mouth started to twitch as she started to smile.

"What better time to find out if we really want to go through all of this with another one?" She laughed a little. Brittany's smile spread into a grin and she chuckled.

"That's true," she conceded. She moved her hand from Santana's chin up to cup her cheek and rub her thumb across it as her gaze softened. "Are you wanting to carry this time?"

Santana bit her lip before nodding.

Brittany broke out into another grin as she leaned in to place a quick kiss to Santana's lips.

"I can't wait to see you pregnant, Santana," she said sincerely as she pulled back and looked into Santana's eyes.

Santana grinned back at her wife. "Are we going to have another baby?"

Brittany nodded, smiling lovingly at her. Santana jumped forward to wrap her arms around Brittany's neck to hug her tightly. Brittany's arms moved around her back to hold her as the blonde buried her face in the crook of Santana's neck.

Santana pulled back after a moment to kiss Brittany, and the blonde quickly deepened it. Santana moaned at how passionate things had gotten when she felt a lick of desire in her belly. Brittany responded by snaking her fingers under the hem of Santana's top.

"Babe, what are you doing?" Santana asked as she pulled away. She wasn't sure they should be trying for any sexy times while their son was sick in the other room and they were both exhausted.

"Trying to make love to my wife," Brittany husked. "Let's make a baby."

Santana smirked, recalling a similar conversation a couple of years ago. "You know that having sex with me won't make me pregnant," she teased.

Brittany nodded seriously. "I know, but I sure as hell can try." She leaned in to speak softly into Santana's ear. "Over and over and over."

Santana shuddered with desire. "Are you sure you aren't too tired?" She didn't want to exhaust her wife anymore than she already was, especially since Mac was still sick.

"Not anymore," she whispered before she ran her tongue along Santana's ear. Santana whimpered at the feeling of Brittany's wet tongue against her sensitive flesh. Brittany chuckled as she trailed kisses down Santana's neck.

Santana arched her neck to give her wife better access. She started to tug at the hem of Brittany's tank top, and the blonde pulled away briefly to pull it over her head and throw it to the end of the couch. Santana's mouth watered at seeing her bare breasts. She loved Brittany's tits. Playing with them was such a huge turn on for her, and Brittany knew it.

Santana immediately brought her hands up to cup and knead the soft mounds, making sure to tease Brittany's hardened nipples with her fingers and thumbs while she played. Brittany moaned as she continued to mold the soft flesh, and she moved in to bring their mouths crashing together in a heated kiss.

Brittany's tongue quickly entered her mouth and took control. Santana's hands stalled on Brittany's chest as her brain stuttered from the intense feelings sweeping through her. Brittany took advantage of that to move her hands under the hem of Santana's shirt and yank it up. They broke the kiss long enough for the blonde to pull the top over Santana's head and throw it to join the other one at the end of the couch.

Brittany's mouth was soon back on her own, but not for long. She kissed her lips hard before moving down, pressing wet kisses to Santana's jaw and neck. She made her way to one of Santana's hardened nipples, sucking it into her warm mouth to tease it with her tongue while she rolled the other nipple between her thumb and fingers. Santana brought her hands up to thread through blonde hair as she watched her wife suckle her.

Brittany released her nipple with a pop as she looked up at her and grinned lustily. "I can't wait to play with your tits when you're pregnant. You are going to be such a sexy pregnant woman, baby."

Santana felt herself getting wetter and she moaned. She knew how sexy she found Brittany when she was pregnant, so she could understand how the thought of her own pregnancy was causing her wife to get turned on.

After another quick squeeze to Santana's breasts, Brittany moved off of the couch onto the floor. She moved Santana's feet down off of the coffee table so they were flat on the floor and spread the brunette's knees. She crawled into the open space so she could kneel in between Santana's legs. She ran her hands hungrily up Santana's torso, brushing teasingly over her nipples as she brought her hands slowly back down.

She leaned forward to press kisses in the wake of her hands. She ended up kissing her way quickly down Santana's taut abs until she got to the edge of her pants. She hooked her fingers into the waistband and started to tug down. Santana lifted her hips so Brittany could pull them down, then helped to kick them off of her legs.

Once Santana was naked, Brittany ran her hands softly up Santana's smooth thighs, leaving goosebumps behind. She grasped Santana's hips firmly and pulled so that Santana's ass was at the edge of the couch. Santana leaned back to rest against the back of the couch because she knew she was too weak to hold herself up for what her wife was about to do to her.

Brittany looked at her dripping sex hungrily for a moment before meeting her eyes with pure lust in her gaze. "Try not to wake Mac up," she said hotly before she dove down, bringing her mouth onto Santana's center.

"Oh, shit," Santana moaned. She fought to be quiet, but based on her wife's chuckle against her clit she wasn't that successful. The vibrations caused by Brittany's laughter only caused her to whimper more, so she grabbed a throw pillow and brought it to her face to muffle the sounds coming from her mouth. She threaded her other hand in Brittany's hair, holding her wife's head exactly where she wanted it.

Brittany brought her left hand down to lift Santana's right leg over her shoulder and she wrapped her arm around the thigh to hold it in place. She pushed Santana's other leg further to the side, spreading Santana open even more for her hungry mouth.

Santana couldn't even think about anything other than what Brittany's talented tongue was doing to her. She had enough conscious thought to try to continue to muffle the cries trying to break free from her throat, but other than that she was just lost in pleasure. Brittany's tongue concentrated on her clit, driving her higher, before she moved it down to dip into Santana's opening. Santana groaned and her hips started to roll, trying to grind herself down onto the blonde's face.

Brittany tightened her grip on Santana's thighs, holding her in place. Santana tilted her head down, shoving the pillow against her mouth harder as she watched her wife eat her out. This was one of the hottest things she had ever seen, and watching Brittany loving going down on her was ramping her desire up even more.

Her whimpers started to increase, and Brittany moved up to suck on Santana's clit while she entered her quickly with two fingers. She felt her walls clamp down at the invasion, and Brittany's hot groan against her caused her to groan loudly into the pillow.

Brittany set up a quick pace with her thrusts, flicking Santana's clit rapidly with her tongue as she sucked it and pumped her fingers in and out. She tilted her head slightly to look up at Santana's face and whimpered at what she saw. Santana saw her wife's left hand slip down from around her thigh, and she felt Brittany shift a little but kept her leg wrapped over the blonde's shoulder.

She realized that Brittany had slipped her hand down her own pants once she recognized that the blonde's moans were increasing against her sex. She pulled the pillow from her mouth to speak, trying to stay quiet.

"Shit, babe, are you touching yourself?" Her voice came out in a hot whisper.

"Mhmm," Brittany moaned against her clit, watching her face.

"Fuck, that's so hot," she groaned, eyes fluttering closed as she felt her desire shoot up again.

Santana quickly brought the pillow back to her mouth to muffle her cries as Brittany curled her fingers inside of her as she picked up her pace even faster. She could feel herself rapidly approaching her orgasm, and she knew Brittany could tell she was close based on the rocking of her hips against the blonde's face and the increased whimpers coming through the pillow.

After a couple more thrusts and flicks against her clit, Santana's back arched, her leg clenching and pulling Brittany tighter to her, fingers tightening in blonde hair as she cried out in ecstasy. She pressed the pillow tighter to her mouth to muffle her screams, but she knew that their son would hear them if he woke up. She couldn't care less at the moment.

Brittany slowed her thrusts and licks and as Santana started to come down, she felt the vibrations of her wife's moans against her center as the blonde reached her own peak. The feeling against her sensitive skin caused her to whimper, and she pushed Brittany's head off of her center. Brittany turned to muffle her cries against Santana's thigh, pressing her mouth so hard against the flesh that Santana knew she would have some teeth marks.

Finally, Brittany started to relax. She slipped her fingers out slowly from Santana and placed a soft kiss to the skin she muffled her cries against. Santana slipped her leg off of the blonde's shoulder so Brittany could move up. The blonde rose and climbed up next to Santana, shifting her so that they both lay down on the couch facing each other. Santana leaned forward to kiss Brittany, tasting herself on her wife's lips. She hummed against the blonde's mouth, smiling into the kiss.

"I have to say, if you could get me pregnant I really think that would have done the trick," she said against Brittany's mouth, amused.

Brittany giggled, pulling back to look at her and wiggled her eyebrows. "I am more than willing to try again anytime you want, honey."

"Mmmm, I will definitely take you up on that. But right now, I think we should probably try to get a little sleep before Mac wakes up again." She emphasized her point with a big yawn.

Brittany pressed a kiss against her forehead as she pulled her tighter in her arms. "Sounds like a plan. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," she mumbled sleepily. She settled further into her wife's embrace, content. She was so in love with everything in her life. Even when things seemed to be in turmoil, she couldn't help but feel that she had everything she ever wanted. And now, they would be getting another baby to add to their family. Santana felt her heart expand a little already to let in the love for their next child.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: So this is the last chapter of this story. If any of you remember from way, way back in the beginning, I mentioned that part of this story was based on a dream that I had after the series finale aired. This chapter contains a scene based on that dream. Let me know what part you think it is ;)**

 **Also, I posted the first chapter of the companion story from Brittany's POV entitled Dreamcatcher. I hope you guys will check it out! There is some bonus stuff in there for you if you want to give it a shot, and it is longer than this one.**

 **It has been a pleasure, and I have to say that for my first ever attempt at writing anything like this I am more than pleased with the response. I hope you all have enjoyed this story and check out what I have in store for the future :)**

Chapter 24

Fall 2020

Just like with Mac, they had decided on a donor they liked fairly quickly. They found a tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed veterinarian who was a former gymnast. When they came across his profile, they knew they had found the perfect donor for their next baby. And Santana got pregnant on the first try, much to their surprise.

They didn't expect Santana's pregnancy to be the same as Brittany's, but both were surprised that she got pregnant so quickly. She definitely had some more intense pregnancy symptoms than her wife had, but they hadn't believed she was truly pregnant until they saw the positive test. Santana so far was more emotional and tended to tear up at seemingly small things. Brittany could calm her down fairly easily, however. At least for now.

The one thing Santana was not happy about was that she seemed to suffer from worse morning sickness than Brittany had. She would vomit intensely several times an hour for a few hours in the morning, but then she would be fine, thankfully. Brittany was so good about taking care of her, though, and would always be right there to hold her hair back or get her some water and help hold her as she walked since she was always a little unsteady after emptying her stomach.

Santana never expected the blonde to be so attentive, especially since they had already gone through one pregnancy. But her wife was even more protective of her and their unborn child than Santana had been when Brittany was pregnant.

Santana and Brittany got a call from Sue's people a couple of weeks after they found out Santana was pregnant. Apparently they were dedicating the McKinley High auditorium to Finn, and Sue was trying to get everyone who played a part in the New Directions' story back to Lima next month in order to be a part of the ceremony. Santana still couldn't believe that Sue had made such a huge turnaround from her previous stance against the glee club and performance arts and was now taking the time to honor it.

Both women really wanted to go for the celebration, but Brittany was hesitant about Santana travelling and being around all of their old friends. Since she was still so early on in her pregnancy, they didn't want to start telling anyone in case there were complications. And as concerned as her wife was with everything pertaining to Santana's pregnancy, she knew Brittany would probably be giving off some big hints about their situation. Brittany knew that as well, which was a big reason why she had argued against the trip. Santana put her foot down, however, and so they flew out to Lima with their son to visit their families and old friends.

They had arrived in the auditorium a little late since Brittany hadn't wanted to drive fast enough to even hit the speed limit. They knew the performance had already started, but it didn't matter. They walked in and saw their glee family from the top of the stairs. Santana felt her heart lift with the sound of the voices in the auditorium, bringing back so many happy memories. The beautiful woman beside her only made her happier, and as they joined their voices to the group and walked down toward the stage she knew her wife was feeling the same things she was.

It was so great seeing everyone together again like that. Yes, she saw a lot of them on a regular basis since she lived in the same city as them or even worked with them, but they hadn't gotten together like this for a big group performance since high school. It was a great reunion and celebration of everything the New Directions was about, and it was a fitting dedication to Finn.

After the performance, they had all visited for awhile in the auditorium. Finally, someone had suggested they move the party to Breadstix to get some food and catch up some more. Most of the glee clubbers ended up heading over to the restaurant. Blaine and Kurt were showing everyone pictures of their daughter. Rachel had given birth to her a couple of months ago, and Santana had to admit that she was an adorable baby.

"So where is Mac tonight?" Quinn asked her and Brittany.

"He is with his abuelo and abuela tonight," Brittany answered.

"Yeah, his abuelo is probably spending the evening trying to convince him to be a doctor when he grows up," Santana deadpanned.

Brittany smiled at her. "Well, if he does decide to be a doctor then he will be a great one."

"You guys have a recent picture, right? I haven't seen him in so long, I want to know what he looks like now," Quinn pleaded.

"Of course we do! We can't help but take pictures like every day, right Brit?" One thing they both were was adamant about how cute their son was, and they felt the need to capture his adorableness nearly all of the time.

Brittany laughed as she nodded in agreement while Santana pulled up the picture album on her phone.

"Oooh, are we about to see some sexy lesbian pics?" Santana turned to glare at the owner of the familiar voice.

"Noah!" Quinn smacked her husband's arm as he joined them.

"Jesus, Puckerman. I thought you had grown up some when you married Quinn here, but I see she hasn't taught you manners quite yet," Santana told him, a look of disgust on her face. Brittany just rolled her eyes, and Santana knew the blonde was trying not to laugh since they did actually have some of those pictures on Santana's phone. She had just made sure they were hidden, so there was no chance anyone would accidentally come across those.

"Chill ladies, I was just joking. I want to see pictures of your little man, too. How big has he gotten?" Santana couldn't help but smile at how enthusiastic he was getting about finding out how Mac was doing. The man was immature sometimes, but he definitely was going to be a good father when he and Quinn actually decide to start a family.

"He has grown so much!" Brittany enthused. "It seems like it was just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital, but now he is running around the house and getting into everything."

"He is such a cutie," Quinn gushed as she scrolled through the pictures on Santana's phone. "He looks like both of you, it is kind of amazing."

"Yeah, if I didn't know any better I would swear you actually got her pregnant, Santana."

Santana gave a cocky grin to Puck. "Maybe I'm just that good."

Brittany giggled and wrapped her arm around Santana's waist, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Oh, you are that good, baby."

Santana felt the spark of arousal settle in her belly, and she couldn't resist turning her head to capture her wife's lips in a lingering kiss. Brittany happily returned it, reaching her free hand up to cup Santana's cheek as they continued to kiss.

Apparently they kissed for longer than she had intended since Quinn cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Let's not give my husband a free show, please," she joked as they pulled apart. Santana looked to find Puck giving them both a lecherous look, and he wiggled his eyebrows at them. She was just about to smack him when he burst out laughing, making them aware he was just messing with them.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it! It was too easy," he chuckled. "Besides, you know I only have eyes for my wife."

He turned to smile sweetly at Quinn, who returned his loving look and he stepped closer to wrap his arms around her waist and gave her a quick peck.

"You guys are so cute. Are you planning on starting your own family soon?" Brittany asked them.

Puck continued to smile at his wife, but Quinn paled a little bit. "I don't think we are going to do it anytime soon, no matter how much Noah begs me. We just got married and I would like to enjoy that for a little bit before we plan a baby."

Puck just shrugged as he turned to face Santana and Brittany, leaving his arm around Quinn's waist. "I am ready whenever she is. I already know we are going to make perfect babies, so it is just a matter of time before she realizes it."

Santana smiled, thinking of the own perfect babies she and Brittany were making. She felt her wife's arm gently tighten around her waist, and she knew the blonde was thinking about the same thing.

Quinn gave them a suspicious look. "So Mac is two now, right?" Santana nodded. "Are you guys planning on giving him a little brother or sister sometime soon?"

"Yeah, when are you gonna pop out a kid, Santana?" Puck added.

Santana froze, unsure of what to say. She felt Brittany tense beside her, and she knew the blonde was trying hard not to give them away. She looked over at her wife, who had turned to look at Santana, and she could see the fight Brittany was having with herself in trying not to break out into a grin of happiness at their secret. Santana's face softened as she looked lovingly at the woman who held her heart. Just the fact that Brittany was so proud of and happy about Santana's pregnancy made her almost want to tell everyone they were expecting.

Instead, Santana gave a small smile and shrugged slightly at their friends, still gazing lovingly into her wife's eyes. "Maybe we will start talking about it soon."

Brittany couldn't hold back her grin then, and smiled proudly at her. Santana couldn't help but grin back, knowing they were probably giving themselves away but not caring in the least at the moment.

"Uh-huh, soon I'm sure," Quinn stated, amused. Santana finally broke her eyes away from Brittany to look at her friend. Quinn was smiling at them knowingly, shifting her eyes down to look at Brittany's hand which had somehow moved to rest against Santana's belly. Quinn knew them better than anyone, so Santana knew that she had it figured out. She also knew that Quinn wouldn't say anything until they did. I mean, the woman did keep it a secret for years that Brittany and Santana hooked up.

So Santana just smiled back and moved her own hand to cover her wife's that was cupping her stomach, giving a silent confirmation to their fellow Unholy Trinity member that her suspicions were correct. Brittany pressed a kiss to Santana's temple as Quinn's smile grew and she nodded at them, a silent congratulations.

"Well you ladies shouldn't wait too long. You don't want your little guy to be too big that he won't want to play with his little sibling," Puck broke in, oblivious to the interaction between the three women. "Then again, if you get pregnant around the same time Quinn does, then our kids could grow up together like they are siblings. Or maybe they will end up falling in love with each other and getting married."

Santana's eyes widened in terror. "Oh no, no me gusta! My child will not be marrying a Puckerman!"

Brittany's body was shaking next to her in silent laughter, and Quinn covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. Puck just looked at her, offended. "What would be so wrong with your kid marrying mine? I was good enough to tap the both of you in high school before landing Quinn here!"

"Oh, please. I only slept with you because you brought me status, not because you were any good in bed or because you were a nice guy."

"Santana," Brittany warned, concerned about her wife getting too worked up.

"No, Brit. He thinks he is hot shit when he is not. I don't want my child married to any child of his that inherits his attitude. I mean, look how long he had to wait before Quinn would actually even give him a chance. He was a loser."

Santana didn't know why she was getting so worked up about this. She honestly knew Puck had matured a lot, and with Quinn as a mother she knew any child of theirs wouldn't be an ass like Puck had been in high school. It must be the hormones. Plus, there was no guarantee their kids would even be around each other enough to fall in love, right?

"Seriously, Santana? I am going to let that slide considering… well, I am just going to let that slide, but you need to back off," Quinn demanded, a hard glint in her eye. Puck was just staring at her, eyes wide in astonishment.

"Sweetie, you need to relax. Please?" Brittany murmured quietly in her ear, concern evident in her voice. Santana knew she was being ridiculous, and when she felt Brittany's arm squeeze her waist again, she felt herself starting to relax.

"Sorry," she mumbled to Puck, looking down at the floor in embarrassment. She really didn't mean to have an outburst like that. Just another side effect of her pregnancy most likely. Puck probably thought she was going crazy.

"Okay, I think we should probably head over and see how Mercedes is doing. I see she and Sam finally broke away from each other," Quinn said, breaking the awkward tension that followed. She handed Santana's phone back and grabbed her husband's arm. "Come on, Noah. We'll catch up with these ladies again later."

He just nodded, still silent as Quinn started to lead him away. Quinn turned to look over her shoulder at them, mouthing a congratulations then shaking her head slightly and smiling before turning back around to walk over to visit with Mercedes.

Santana let out a sigh, turning to look up guiltily at her wife's concerned face. "Sorry, BritBrit. I really don't know where that came from."

"It's okay, honey. I get it. Hormones can be crazy. But I just get worried about you and the baby when you get worked up like that," Brittany told her softly.

Santana nodded, looking down at the floor again. "I know, and I will try to work on that more. You know I don't want anything to happen to our little one, either."

Brittany put her fingers under Santana's chin to tilt her face up so Santana would meet her eyes. Once brown eyes met blue, Brittany spoke. "I know you don't, Santana. You love our little boy or girl just as much as I do, which is why we all need you to try not to stress so much."

Santana felt tears start to come to her eyes.

 _Damn these hormones_ , she thought. She wasn't even three months along yet, and if her mood was all over the place now, she could only imagine how she was going to be throughout the rest of her pregnancy.

"Oh, baby, don't cry," Brittany cooed as she brought her hands up to cup Santana's cheeks, caressing them with her thumbs. Santana inhaled deeply, fighting back her tears as her wife looked on, concern in her eyes. "Okay, I think the baby's tired and we should probably head back so you both can get some rest."

Santana nodded, smiling gratefully at the blonde. She actually was tired, and if her emotions were starting to get out of control then it was probably a good idea they get out of there before she makes an even bigger scene and everyone figures out about her pregnancy. Plus, she really wanted to go cuddle with her wife and son all of a sudden.

They gathered their things and quickly said their goodbyes before heading out of the restaurant.

"Sorry for making us leave early, babe," Santana said once they were in the car.

Brittany glanced over at her quickly and smiled softly before turning her eyes back to the road. She had become a very careful driver since Santana became pregnant and wouldn't even remove a hand from the wheel to lace their fingers together, no matter how badly she wanted to hold her hand.

"It's fine, Santana. You know I would rather us be at home anyways. I don't want anything to stress you out, and that was definitely stressing you. You know how hard it is for me to even let you keep working while you're pregnant with the stress you have to deal with, especially with Rachel."

Santana chuckled, hearing the bitterness in Brittany's voice as she talked about Santana's most troublesome client. She knew how protective her wife was over her and their baby, and she honestly loved that Brittany wanted to take care of her like that.

"I love you, Brit," she said softly as she laid the side of her head against the car's headrest, watching her beautiful wife drive.

Brittany's mouth stretched into a big smile. "I love you, too. Now let's go get our son and cuddle up in bed and watch a movie so you and our little one can get some rest."

Santana closed her eyes and made a noise of agreement. She could already feel herself starting to drift off. Cuddling up with her family for a nap sounded like heaven.

* * *

Winter 2020

Santana's pregnancy got a little more difficult as the months went on. The morning sickness hung around, and most mornings she couldn't even stomach a cracker without it coming back up. She made up for it around lunchtime, when she started eating nearly everything in sight. She had some pretty strong cravings, and Brittany was usually running around trying to get all of the different food items she was asking for throughout the day.

Her sex drive definitely went up, just like Brittany's had. But with her intense morning sickness and mood swings, not to mention the constant presence of a toddler, there wasn't as much opportunity for alleviating her arousal as they had when the blonde was pregnant. They definitely made as much time as they could, however.

With the increased sensitivity of Santana's breasts, she could come with Brittany just playing with them long enough. Santana had always loved Brittany going down on her, but that quickly became her go-to position during her pregnancy. It always let her come quickly, and often more than once, and gave them enough time for her to return the favor to the blonde before something interrupted them.

Her mood swings definitely got more dramatic, and the doctor became concerned about her stress levels. Brittany ended up putting her foot down with her working, so Santana spoke with her firm about needing to cut back on some of her duties with her clients for the health of the baby. Once Rachel found out Santana was pregnant, she stopped bugging her throughout the day and backed off with her dramatics. This helped Santana's stress levels greatly.

And once they found a bigger apartment and got everything moved, Santana started to really relax. It was a little sad leaving the first place they had called home together. It was where they really started their married life, where they started their family, and where they decided to make their family bigger. Both of them had a lot of fond memories of their first apartment, but were excited to start the next chapter of their life together.

Everyone was ecstatic once they announced the pregnancy. Some were surprised that Santana had chosen to carry this time, which irritated her a little. Brittany calmed her down, however, and she got over it since everyone was actually really happy for them. Quinn had obviously already knew, and she just smugly filled in her husband about what had really been going on back at Breadstix during their reunion. Puck was good-natured about the whole thing, and in fact was one of the most excited people they told. Santana could tell he really wanted to get started on a family with Quinn. On purpose this time, at least.

Mac had also been really adorable when they told him he was going to be a big brother. Santana wasn't sure he really understood what it meant when they sat him down and explained that he was going to have a little brother or sister and that it was currently growing in his mama's belly. But Brittany assured her that he knew what was going on, and Santana trusted her wife's judgment when it came to knowing what their son could comprehend. She was a genius, after all, and knew everyone in their family inside and out.

Santana knew Brittany was right when one day, after she had started showing, she and Mac were cuddled up on the couch together watching one of the countless Disney movies in their collection. Suddenly, Mac scooted off the couch and faced her, placing his hands on her baby bump and patting it gently. He told her bump 'hi' and then leaned in to kiss it. She couldn't help but start crying, grabbing her little boy into a tight hug and kissing his face all over. Being such a sweet boy that he was, he just wrapped his arms around her and let her.

They decided to find out the sex of the baby again. When they found out that she was carrying a little girl, they were both excited that they were adding a daughter to their family. Santana was prepared, however, for more long discussions over baby names. With as different as her pregnancy had been from Brittany's, she should have expected that this would be totally different as well.

They were cuddling on their couch the day they found out she was having a girl, Santana sitting between Brittany's legs stretched out on the cushions, her back pressed up against her wife's front. She had her head resting on Brittany's chest and the blonde's arms were wrapped loosely around her growing belly as they watched their son play with his toys.

Mac was happily making a plastic dog jump up and down, his bright blue eyes twinkling and a toothy grin on his chubby face. His dark hair was starting to get a little long, and Santana knew they were going to have to get it cut again soon to keep it out of his eyes. She really couldn't believe that he did look a little like the both of them. His skin wasn't as dark as Santana's, but wasn't as pale as Brittany's. He had the shape of Santana's face and his hair was the same color as hers, but he definitely had Brittany's eyes and smile.

"What do you think she's going to look like, Brit?" She was really curious if their daughter would end up inheriting the same kind of traits as their son did, or if she would be completely unique. She tilted her head back to look up at the blonde.

"I don't really know. I just know she is going to be beautiful." Brittany smiled down at her before placing a kiss to her head.

"How do you know she's going to be beautiful? She could come out with like a giant hairy mole or something," Santana teased.

Brittany shrugged, clearly unfazed. "It wouldn't matter if she did. She would still be beautiful because she would be ours."

Santana smiled, knowing her wife would think any child of theirs was absolutely perfect. "You're right, babe. As usual."

"Of course," Brittany teased, chuckling. "So what are you thinking about for names?"

"I actually really like the name Isabella," Santana told her, a little nervous. She had been thinking about a name for a long time, and this was her favorite. She really wanted Brittany to like it.

She watched a huge grin spread over the blonde's face and her blue eyes lit up. "That's a perfect name. And we could call her Bella, because that means 'beautiful', which she is going to be. Just like her mama!"

Santana grinned at Brittany's enthusiasm. She sat up to face her wife, seeing the blonde practically vibrate with excitement.

"Bella would be a perfect nickname, Brit. Did we really just find a name that fast?" She laughed in disbelief.

Brittany nodded. "I think so! Well, we still need a middle name, but we definitely have a first name."

"Do you have any suggestions for the middle name? I do think that we should do something with meaning like we did with Mac." Santana really wanted input from Brittany on a name, since she did such a great job picking the perfect name for their son.

"Well, it is a tradition in my family to give the middle name of Susan to the firstborn daughter. So if we did that, it would carry on the tradition and she would have a connection to me since it is my middle name, too." Brittany spoke quickly, grabbing onto Santana's hands as if to make her point stronger.

"I think that Susan would be a great middle name for our daughter, babe." Santana smiled at her wife, her nose scrunching as her cheeks bunched up. She was so beyond happy, and she pulled the blonde's hands back and forth playfully, making Brittany giggle at her. "Isabella Susan. Such a perfect name for our perfect little girl. I can't believe how easy that was."

"I know!" Brittany laughed in delight. She leaned down to speak to Santana's belly, cupping it gently. "Baby Bella, we can't wait to meet you!"

Brittany sat up suddenly and leaned forward to place several quick pecks against Santana's lips. She laughed at her wife's enthusiasm. Suddenly she felt small hands pulling at her arm. They turned to see their son grinning up at them, giggling at their laughter.

"Hey, little man!" Santana reached over and pulled Mac up to sit in between them.

"Mommy!" Mac exclaimed, turning to crawl onto Brittany's lap. "Mommy, hug!"

Brittany pulled their son onto her lap and wrapped him up tightly as he snuggled into her briefly. He wriggled away from her before crawling to Santana.

"Mama, hug!"

Santana chuckled and pulled him into her arms, kissing his head and inhaling his sweet scent.

"Hey, Mac," Brittany said, getting his attention. "Why don't you give your baby sister a hug, too?"

He nodded seriously, then scooted down in Santana's lap to rest his head against Santana's growing belly, wrapping his arms around the sides gently. "Baby, hug!"

Santana ran her hand through his hair, smiling at how adorable he was. "Her name is Bella, sweetie."

"Bewwa?" Mac looked up at her questioningly, and she nodded down at him. He looked down at her belly again, patting it gently. "Hi, Bewwa!"

Santana looked up to meet her wife's loving eyes. The blonde looked at her with the most adorable look on her face, like it was too painful at how cute their little boy was. Santana understood the feeling all too well.

"I love you, Brit," she said softly.

"I love you, too," Brittany murmured back.

"Wuv you, mama! Wuv you, mommy! Wuv you, Bewwa!"

Brittany reached over and pulled Mac to her chest, pressing a long kiss into his hair. He snuggled into her, content. "And we all love you, Mac."

"So much, little man."

Santana's life was perfect.

* * *

Spring 2021

The rest of Santana's pregnancy passed much as the beginning had. Her morning sickness continued, unfortunately, and so did her mood swings. Her emotions made work difficult, but she was able to make it to her eighth month before having to pass off most of her work in preparation for the upcoming birth. Brittany started working from home more often so she could be there to help Santana and to be home with Mac more since the new baby would take a lot of their attention when she arrived.

Her sex drive was definitely still amped up, but as she continued to get bigger she understood how Brittany felt when she felt unsexy. Santana was prepared for the feelings she knew she would experience as her body changed since she had gone through it with Brittany, but it was still a little difficult to deal with.

She knew she was a hot pregnant woman and that her wife still found her incredibly sexy and attractive, especially since Brittany made sure to tell her every day, both with her words and her actions. It definitely helped her self-esteem that the blonde showed that she wanted to make love to her every day. And the sex was still freaking amazing.

Santana grew increasingly nervous as the due date approached. Brittany had such a difficult labor, and she was pretty terrified that she was going to have to go through the same thing. Her wife tried to reassure her that her labor would go smoothly, but Santana was definitely not convinced.

She was actually surprised when she went into labor. The first contractions startled her, but weren't nearly as painful as she was expecting. She calmly told Brittany that they should probably head to the hospital, and she was amused to watch the blonde start to fly into a panic. They eventually made their way to the hospital, although Brittany drove painfully slow, and they called both of their parents who had come into town for the birth to meet them at the hospital to take care of Mac while Santana and Brittany were in the delivery room.

They were shocked to find that Santana was almost fully dilated when they made it into the delivery room. As difficult as her pregnancy had been, her labor was being surprisingly quick and easy. They were both expecting a longer labor, especially after Brittany's experience. If their easy-going son gave her wife such a hard time, what was their daughter going to be like after a pretty laid back delivery?

After only a couple of hours of labor, Isabella Susan arrived screaming her ire at the world. Brittany laughed in delight at their daughter's powerful lungs, happy tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Santana, I think she just went all Lima Heights on everyone here," she told her, kissing her forehead.

Santana gave an exhausted chuckle, listening to their daughter's cries. "I hope she didn't get my temper."

"I hope she did, that way she can stand up for herself," her wife told her with a smile.

Brittany cut the cord and they wrapped her up before the blonde took her in her arms. Immediately, Bella's cries started to ease. Of course Brittany would be able to soothe their daughter with a touch. Santana watched as Brittany's smile softened as she looked at her daughter.

"Hi, Bella," Brittany cooed. "She's so beautiful, honey. She looks so much like you."

Brittany brought Bella to her, passing her over into Santana's waiting arms. Bella's cries stopped completely as Santana got a look at their daughter for the first time. Her hair wasn't as dark as Mac's was, and it looked like it might grow out to be a lighter brown color. Her eyes also looked like they would be dark brown like her own. Santana could definitely see herself in Bella.

"She's absolutely gorgeous, Brittany," Santana said, tears streaming down her face. "How did something so perfect come from me?"

"I think you are pretty perfect, so it makes sense that you would give birth to our perfect baby girl, too," Brittany gushed, leaning in to give her a loving kiss. As she pulled away, she ran a finger lightly across Bella's cheek as she looked down at her, causing the baby to turn instinctively into the touch.

"I think she inherited something else from me," she told Brittany. "The inability to not be soothed by your touch."

Brittany laughed. "I just think she's looking for some food."

Santana shook her head. "Nope. She calmed right down when you held her. She is going to be a mommy's girl for sure."

"I love her so much. And I love you so much for giving her to us."

Santana smiled up at her wife, tilting her head to indicate Brittany should give her another kiss. Brittany happily complied, leaning in to press their lips softly together before pulling back slightly only to do it again.

"I love you, Brittany. You have made all of my dreams come true," Santana told Brittany as she ended the kiss, thinking of their love and wonderful marriage, their beautiful son, and now their gorgeous daughter. It was all more than she ever could have imagined, and Brittany made it all possible.

Brittany's eyes pooled with tears as she looked lovingly into her own brown ones. She cupped Santana's cheek with one hand and Bella's head with the other, smiling tearfully.

"That's all I've ever wanted to do, Santana," she whispered.

As Santana lay there, holding their daughter in her arms, with her wife holding them both, she knew that her life was truly going to remain perfect. Because Brittany was always going to be there to make all of her dreams a reality. And who could ask for anything better?


End file.
